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Pharmaceutics
Special Issues
Application of Marine-Derived Polymers in Drug Dosage Forms
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Application of Marine-Derived Polymers in Drug Dosage Forms

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Physical Pharmacy and Formulation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 1827

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Marta Szekalska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Medical University of Białystok, Mickiewicza 2c, 15222 Białystok, Poland
Interests: spray drying; alginates; natural polymers; microparticles; drug dosage formulations
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Katarzyna Sosnowska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Medical University of Białystok, Mickiewicza 2c, 15222 Białystok, Poland
Interests: modification of delivery systems; semisolid forms; pharmaceutical analysis; drug dosage formulations
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Dynamic development in the field of medicine and pharmacy takes place on many levels. One of the directions includes the synthesis of innovative pharmacologically active substances. Obtaining new chemical compounds is a difficult process, and the production of a pharmacologically active substance (API) does not guarantee its introduction to the pharmaceutical industry. Therefore, an area of particular interest is the search for technological solutions enabling the production of modern forms of drugs adjusted to the properties of the active substance, the place of administration and the disease entity. Advanced scientific research in the field of polymers allows for their wide use in pharmaceutical technology. Due to their biocompatibility, non-toxicity, biodegradability, wide possibilities of modification, and relatively low production costs, natural marine-derived polymers deserve special attention. In addition, marine-derived polymers are characterized by unique properties such as gelling, swelling and mucoadhesive properties. These polymers are used not only as excipients during the production process of traditional dosage forms but also as substances enabling the production of modern systems for the controlled release of API.

This Special Issue will be a collection of full article papers and review papers focusing on the application of marine-derived polymers in the process of developing traditional and modern forms of drugs and an evaluation of their properties.

Dr. Marta Szekalska
Dr. Katarzyna Sosnowska
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • pharmaceutical formulations
  • controlled drug release
  • biological activity of drug fromulations
  • marine-derived polymers
  • alginates
  • chitosan
  • fucoidan

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 4203 KiB  
Article
Azithromycin-Loaded Nanoparticles Incorporated in Chitosan-Based Soft Hydrogels: A Novel Approach for Dental Drug Delivery
by Jakub Kwiatek, Magdalena Paczkowska-Walendowska, Anna Rył, Tomasz M. Karpiński, Andrzej Miklaszewski, Ewelina Swora-Cwynar, Marta Leśna and Judyta Cielecka-Piontek
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(3), 304; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17030304 - 26 Feb 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 848
Abstract
Background: Azithromycin (AZC), a BCS class II/IV antibiotic with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, has poor water solubility, limiting its formulation potential. This study aimed to develop and optimize AZC-based soft hydrogels for the first time for improved solubility, local controlled drug release, and local [...] Read more.
Background: Azithromycin (AZC), a BCS class II/IV antibiotic with broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, has poor water solubility, limiting its formulation potential. This study aimed to develop and optimize AZC-based soft hydrogels for the first time for improved solubility, local controlled drug release, and local dental applications. Methods: AZC nanoparticles (based on polyvinylpyrrolidone) were synthesized via electrospinning enhanced solubility 40-fold. These were incorporated into chitosan (CS) hydrogels with varying concentrations and degrees of deacetylation (DDA), optimized using a factorial design. Hydrogels were characterized for drug release, mucoadhesion, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties, with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) assessing correlations. Results: Soft hydrogels with 3% CS and 80% DDA achieved sustained drug release (62.9–94.7% over 48 h), strong mucoadhesion, and enhanced biological activity. Higher CS and DDA improved antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects due to increased free amino groups. Antimicrobial tests showed efficacy against Streptococcus mutans and Staphylococcus aureus. PCA revealed an inverse correlation between AZC release and mucoadhesion and positive correlations between release and anti-inflammatory activity. Conclusions: AZC-based soft hydrogels significantly improved solubility, controlled release, and biological activity, showing strong potential for dental drug delivery. Further clinical validation and optimization are recommended. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Marine-Derived Polymers in Drug Dosage Forms)
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25 pages, 7455 KiB  
Article
Zinc Acetate as a Cross-Linking Agent in the Development of Enteric Microcapsules for Posaconazole
by Marta Szekalska, Giedrė Kasparavičienė, Jurga Bernatonienė, Eliza Wolska, Paweł Misiak, Karolina Halina Markiewicz, Agnieszka Zofia Wilczewska, Anna Czajkowska-Kośnik and Katarzyna Winnicka
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(3), 291; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17030291 - 22 Feb 2025
Viewed by 671
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Posaconazole is an antifungal agent from triazoles with variable bioavailability. To avoid its irregular absorption caused by gastric conditions and ensure more repeatable pharmacokinetic enabling the maximization of its absorption regardless of food intake without the need to administer multiple doses, can [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Posaconazole is an antifungal agent from triazoles with variable bioavailability. To avoid its irregular absorption caused by gastric conditions and ensure more repeatable pharmacokinetic enabling the maximization of its absorption regardless of food intake without the need to administer multiple doses, can be provided by the technology of enteric drug preparations. The cross-linking of polysaccharide polymers with divalent and trivalent cations enables multi-unit formulations to be obtained that prevent drug absorption in the stomach. Microcapsules, as an example of multi-unit drug dosage forms, provide more predictable gastric emptying, depending on nutritional status, and spread extensively throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Methods: Therefore, the utilization of zinc acetate for the cross-linking of the alginate and pectin mixture was evaluated. The obtained formulations were evaluated for the impact of cross-linking process and pectin’s presence on their pharmaceutical, mucoadhesive, physicochemical and antifungal properties. Results: It was shown that cross-linked microcapsules by zinc acetate provided delayed posaconazole release. Additionally, the cross-linking process with Zn2+ ions significantly enhanced antifungal activity against the analyzed Candida strains. It was observed that pectin content in the formulation enhanced the swelling ability in an intestinal condition and increased the mucoadhesive properties of drug-loaded formulations to the intestinal mucosa. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Marine-Derived Polymers in Drug Dosage Forms)
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