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The use of hydrogels as scaffolds for three-dimensional (3D) cell growth is an active area of research in tissue engineering. Herein, we report the self-assembly of an ultrashort peptide, a tetrapeptide, Asp-Leu-IIe-IIe, the shortest peptide sequence from a highly fibrillogenic protein TDP-43, into the hydrogel. The hydrogel was mechanically strong and highly stable, with storage modulus values in MPa ranges. The hydrogel supported the proliferation and successful differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) in its matrix as assessed by cell viability, calcium deposition, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and the expression of osteogenic marker gene studies. To check whether the hydrogel supports 3D growth and regeneration in in vivo conditions, a rabbit critical bone defect model was used. Micro-computed tomography (CT) and X-ray analysis demonstrated the formation of mineralized neobone in the defect areas, with significantly higher bone mineralization and relative bone densities in animals treated with the peptide hydrogel compared to nontreated and matrigel treatment groups. The ultrashort peptide-based hydrogel developed in this work holds great potential for its further development as tissue regeneration and/or engineering scaffolds.

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Spirulina is a blue-green alga, grown in alkaline water and used for detoxification of several toxic metal ions. Apart from its nutritional value, it is also used for the decontamination of toxic metal ions. Therefore, present study was envisaged to evaluate the adsorption and removal efficiency of Spirulina powder for mercury. The adsorption efficiency of Spirulina was evaluated in terms of weight of adsorbent, contact time, simulated gastric (SGF) and intestinal (SIF) fluid, and mercury concentration. In vivo removal efficacy of Spirulina for mercury was evaluated in mice. The mercury content in major tissues, urine and feces was estimated. The whole tissue retention and excretion of mercury after treatment with Spirulina were taken as a measure of its metal ions removal efficacy. Activated charcoal was taken as a standard adsorbent for comparative study. The maximum adsorption capacity of Spirulina and charcoal for mercury was found to be 66.667 and 158.730 mg g-1 in water, 83.33 and 94.340 mg g-1 in SGF and 125.0 and 133.33 mg g-1 in SIF, respectively. In mice, Spirulina and activated charcoal were significantly reduced the mercury deposition in tissues and facilitated their excretion through feces. Spirulina has shown good adsorption and removal efficacy like activated charcoal. Therefore, Spirulina can be used as a potential adsorbent to remove mercury from the body.

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BACKGROUND: As countries and industries continue to cope with the unparalleled challenges presented by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), a specific area of concern has been the uncertainty surrounding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global and Indian supply chains of the pharmaceutical industry. The COVID-19 crisis has demonstrated the importance of establishing a risk management system that focuses on assessing future risks resulting from the loss of a supply chain among countries. OBJECTIVE: This review focuses on the role of the Indian pharmaceutical industry towards the pandemic. This review investigates the economic effect of COVID-19 across segments and what it implies for the Indian economy. METHODS: The COVID 19 flare-up has additionally commenced the Indian pharmaceutical organizations an opportunity to transform into a supported trade place point for gathering drugs and intermediates. RESULTS: An enormous pharmaceutical industry in India has consistently been a foundation of reasonable human services, and this pattern would now be able to be required to heighten further. CONCLUSION: The activities from COVID-19 are with a need to change the overall impression of Indian pharmaceutical associations and even more altogether, reduce the dependence of the private pharma associations on alone suppliers like China.

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BACKGROUND: Buccal delivery is an alluring course of organization for fundamental medication conveyance and it leads direct access to the systemic flow through the interior jugular vein sidesteps drugs from the hepatic first-pass digestion gives high bioavailability. OBJECTIVE: This article aims at buccal medication conveyance by discussing the structure and condition of the oral mucosa and the novel strategies utilized in evaluating buccal medication ingestion. METHODS: This review highlights the various pharmaceutical approaches for buccal delivery such as buccal tablets, buccal lozenges, buccal micro/nanoparticle, wafer and semisolid dosage forms like chewing gums, buccal patch, buccal gel or ointment and some buccal liquid dosage forms like buccal solutions and buccal sprays and recent patents filed or granted for these approaches. RESULTS: Recently, some patents are also reported where a combination of various approaches is being employed to achieve very effective mucosal delivery. The various patent search sites were used to collect and analyze the information on buccal drug delivery systems. CONCLUSION: The present study provides valuable information, advantages, limitations and future outlook of various buccal drug delivery systems.

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Short peptides have attracted significant attention from researchers in the past few years due to their easy design, synthesis and characterization, diverse functionalisation possibilities, low cost, possibility to make a large range of hierarchical nanostructures and most importantly their high biocompatibility and biodegradability. Generally, short peptides are also relatively more stable than their longer variants, non-immunogenic in nature and many of them self-assemble to provide an exciting range of nanostructures, including hydrogels. Thus, the development of short peptide-based hydrogels has become an area of intense investigation. Although these hydrogels have a water content of greater than 90%, they are surprisingly highly stable structures, and thus have been used for various biomedical applications, including cell therapeutics, drug delivery, tissue engineering and regeneration, contact lenses, biosensors, and wound healing, by different researchers. Herein, we review the progress of research in the rapidly expanding field of short to ultrashort peptide-based hydrogels and their possible applications. Special attention is paid to address and review this field with regard to the stability of peptide-based hydrogels, particularly to enzymatic degradation.

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Polymyxin-B (Poly-B) is an effective antibiotic used to treat infections mainly caused due to sensitive gram-negative bacteria. They belong to the group of cyclic peptide antibiotics and are minimally absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. This arises the need for bioavailability enhancement and is achieved in the present case using niosomes as carrier system. The Poly-B niosomes had been developed using Span 60 and cholesterol while optimization is achieved with quality-by-design (QBD) approach. In this QBD approach, 3 independent variables (Span 60:cholesterol, volume of phosphate-buffered saline [%], and amount of drug [mg]) each at 3 levels were studied. A total of 17 runs were suggested by the model which was further analyzed by optimizing 3 different responses (particle size, zeta potential, and entrapment efficiency [EE%]). The results had clearly shown that the optimum formulation selected by QBD was based on the criteria of attaining the maximum value of EE% and low value of size and zeta potential. Poly-B niosomes were further examined by in vitro antifungal, rat creatinine, and cytotoxicity assay. The pharmacokinetics and scintigraphy studies were also performed for in vivo behavior of Poly-B.

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We present a novel approach of designing and fabricating a noninvasive drug delivery device which is capable of delivering the drug to the target site in a controlled manner. The device utilizes a reservoir which can be reused once the drug has completely diffused from it. This micro-reservoir based fabricated device has been successfully tested using niosomes of insulin drug filled in, which was then sealed with a magnetic membrane of 20 µm thick and was actuated by applying magnetic field. The deflection of the membrane on application of magnetic field results in the drug release from the reservoir. The discharge of the drug solution and the release rates was controlled by external magnetic field. The simulation of the membrane deflection using COMSOL software was carried out to optimize the concentration of the ferrous nanopowder in PDMS matrix. The characterization of the devices was implemented in-vitro on water and in-vivo on Wistar rats. It was also validated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) by observing characteristic peak of insulin. The blood samples showed the retention time of 2.79 min at λmax of 280 nm which further authenticated the effectiveness of the proposed work. This noninvasive fabricated device provides reusability, precise control and can enable the patient or a physician to actively administrate the drug when required.

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Oral immunization with vaccines has proven its worth by eradicating several diseases worldwide, yet only few oral vaccines exist in practice. This is because the oral route is plagued with various challenges for successful delivery of vaccines, such as limited absorption and high degradation in the gastrointestinal tract. Tremendous research in the last decade has made bilosomes a potential carrier system for oral immunization. Bilosomes with its name derived from bile salts (which is one of its major constituent), is a 'niosome-like' colloidal carrier. The collective information addressed through this review, convincingly points out that factors such as size, composition (type of bile salt, and lipid), charge, ligand attached, etc., which show significant influence on the type, and amount of immunity developed following the oral administration of bilosomes. These bile salts containing vesicular carriers have been employed to treat various serious conditions. Some of these methods have been successfully established into patents. Bilosomes loaded with antigens, peptides and other biological materials for the treatment of influenza, heart failure, diuresis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and other gastrointestinal disorders have been discussed in the present article.

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BACKGROUND AND THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Pectin derivatives have been utilized for colonic drug delivery (CDD). In this study the effects of different formulation variables upon the characteristics of pectinate microparticles (MPs) prepared by ionotropic gelation technique for colonic delivery of mesalazine was investigated. METHODS: In-vitro drug release of MPs was studied using USP XXIV dissolution apparatus type I, in different fluids e.g. simulated gastric fluid (SGF: pH 1.2), simulated intestinal fluid (SIF: pH 7.4), and simulated colonic fluid (SCF: pH 6.8) of volume 900 ml, at 100 rpm maintained at 37±0.2°C. This study was also performed in the presence of 4% w/v rat caecal content (RCC) using phosphate buffer saline (pH 6.8) as SCF. Gamma scintigraphy study was performed on New Zealand rabbit animal model using (99m) Tc. RESULTS: The results showed that maximum entrapment of mesalazine (86.1±1.7%) and strength of gel network zinc pectinate gel microparticles (ZPGD2) was achieved in cross-linking solution of pH 1.6. Batch of ZPGD2 showed least swelling ratio and drug release. In RCC medium the t(50%) value of CPG-MPs was 3-4 folds greater than ZPG-MPs. Scintigram showed the residence of ZPG-MPs (filled in enteric coated capsule) in colon more than 9 hrs and delivery of almost all the drug loading dose in colon. MAJOR CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest the designed formulation of ZPG-MPs has the potential to serve as a colonic drug delivery system.