Kakatiya University

The study aims to develop an environmentally friendly method of producing silver nanoparticles using an extract from Bombax ceiba stem bark (Bc-AgNPs) and to investigate their potential medical applications, such as preventing blood cell damage, combating oxidation, and lowering inflammation. The synthesized Bc-AgNPs were characterized using UV–visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The zeta potential examination revealed a highly stable colloidal solution of Bc-AgNPs with a surface charge of−14 mV. The synthesized Bc-AgNPs had a face-centred cubic structure with a crystalline size of 26 nm and an average grain size of 59.8 nm, as seen in the TEM images. Bc-AgNPs showed no hemolysis at varied concentrations, but B. ceiba stem bark extract at 100 µg/mL caused 16.8±1.9% hemolysis, and Triton X-100 (0.1%; positive control) caused 99.1±0.4% hemolysis. B. ceiba’s aqueous extract contained flavonoid and phenolic components, which enhanced Bc-AgNPs’ antioxidant capacity. The relative IC50 values were 28.03±0.98 µg/mL and 33.7±0.38 µg/mL. When compared to a reference medication, Bc-AgNPs demonstrated a moderate antiinflammatory effect, with IC50 values of 42.26±0.74 µg/mL for BSA and 50.93±1.07 µg/mL for egg albumin assay. According to the study, bio/hemocompatible Bc-AgNPs may be a viable treatment choice for antiinflammatory and antioxidant treatments.

Curcumin (CUR) is a promising anticancer agent for urinary bladder cancer (UBC) but is hindered by poor oral bioavailability. This study investigates the role of cocrystal technology in overcoming these limitations through the formation of curcumin-piperine (CUR-PIP) cocrystals (CoCry). The CUR-PIP CoCry was evaluated for its ability to suppress IGF2 over expression in UBC. Molecular interactions were predicted via Auto Dock simulations, and the co crystals were characterized using FTIR, DSC, PXRD, SEM, and ssNMR. Saturation solubility, dissolution, permeability, and in vivo pharmacokinetic studies were conducted. The therapeutic efficacy of CUR-PIP CoCry was tested in a bladder cancer rat model induced by N-Methyl Nitrosourea; with IGF2 expression quantified using qRT-PCR and flow cytometry. The CUR-PIP CoCry demonstrated enhanced drug release and permeability compared to CUR alone. Pharmacokinetic analysis revealed a 5.7-fold increase in C_max and a 7.9-fold increase in AUC_0-12 hr compared to CUR alone. In vivo studies using an MNU-induced bladder cancer rat model demonstrated that CUR-PIP CoCry significantly suppressed IGF2 expression (p < 0.001) and enhanced anticancer efficacy. This study underscores the potential of cocrystallization as a novel approach to enhance bioavailability and therapeutic effectiveness in cancer treatment.

The oral delivery of hydrophobic drugs is hindered by their inherently poor solubility and limited permeability, leading to suboptimal bioavailability. This study evaluates the impact of pre-treatment (4 h) and priming (4 days) doses of curcumin (CMN) as a natural bioenhancer on augmenting the bioavailability of paclitaxel (PAC) across multiple administration routes (peroral P·O., and intravenous, I·V.), employing the in vivo pharmacokinetic (IVPK) study in Swiss mice and the in situ intestinal perfusion (ISPF) study in Wistar rats. In the IVPK study, the absolute bioavailability (AB%) of PAC increased significantly to 4.49 % after CMN priming compared to when administered alone (2.78 %). Additionally, gut sac assays assessed permeability enhancement using Rh-123 dye, indicating a 45 % reduction in serosal concentration and a 73 % reduction with priming doses of CMN. In vitro cytochrome P450 (CYP)-mediated metabolism studies using rat liver microsomes demonstrated significant suppression of enzymatic activity, with inhibition of CYP2C8 and CYP3A4 by 61 % and 72 %, respectively. These findings from IVPK and ISPF studies suggested that CMN with priming doses for 4 days enhanced PAC oral bioavailability by inhibiting P-glycoprotein (P-gp)-mediated efflux and metabolic degradation via CYP enzymes in the gastrointestinal mucosa. In summary, this study highlights the potential of CMN as a natural bioenhancer for enhancing the oral bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs, providing a promising strategy to overcome solubility and permeability limitations in oral drug delivery.