Search Results (3)

Oils from animal sources have been used for centuries in the management of diseases. This research was conducted to screen the ex vivo and in vivo toxicity of quail egg yolk oil (QEYO) extracts and assess their effects on the management of hypertension in rats. QEYO was extracted using gentle heating (GH) and n-hexane (NHN). The extracts were subjected to toxicity testing using the hen’s egg test on chorioallantoic membrane (HET-CAM) and bovine corneal histology test. Acute and sub-chronic toxicity (28 days) were evaluated in rats. Hypertension was induced in rats by administering 80 mg/kg of N^ω-L-Arginine Methyl Ester (L-NAME) per day for 28 days. Treatments commenced on the 14th day; Nifedipine at 30 mg/kg and 1 mL of distilled water were administered as positive and negative controls. Blood pressure (BP), lipid profiles, and oxidative stress markers were quantified. No irritation was observed using the HET-CAM test in the egg treated with both extracts. Bovine corneal histology showed no lesions in all treated groups. No signs of toxicity were observed in either acute or sub-chronic toxicity studies. A significant reduction in blood pressure was observed in rats treated with the extracts (p < 0.05). Changes in total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), low-density lipoproteins (LDLPs), and high-density lipoproteins (HDLPs) were not significant compared to the control (p > 0.05). Oxidative stress markers (SOD and CAT) increased significantly in the treated groups compared to the control, while the malondialdehyde levels decreased (p < 0.05). QEYO was safe in both ex vivo and in vivo studies and can be said to have the potential to lower blood pressure as well as cardio-protective effects in hypertensive rats. This research provides evidence based on which QEYO could be used safely as an adjuvant therapy in eye drops and cosmetics and can be considered an effective choice for preventing hypertension. Full article

Rho-kinase (ROCK) inhibitors represent a new category of anti-glaucoma medications. Among them, Fasudil hydrochloride, a selective ROCK inhibitor, has demonstrated promising outcomes in glaucoma treatment. It works by inhibiting the ROCK pathway, which plays a crucial role in regulating the trabecular meshwork and canal of Schlemm’s aqueous humor outflow. This study aims to investigate the ocular absorption pathway of Fasudil hydrochloride and, subsequently, develop a nanoparticle-based delivery system for enhanced corneal absorption. Employing the ionic gelation method and statistical experimental design, the factors influencing chitosan nanoparticle (Cs NP) characteristics and performance were explored. Fasudil in vitro release and ex vivo permeation studies were performed, and Cs NP ocular tolerability and cytotoxicity on human lens epithelial cells were evaluated. Permeation studies on excised bovine eyes revealed significantly higher Fasudil permeation through the sclera compared to the cornea (370.0 μg/cm² vs. 96.8 μg/cm², respectively). The nanoparticle size (144.0 ± 15.6 nm to 835.9 ± 23.4 nm) and entrapment efficiency range achieved (17.2% to 41.4%) were predominantly influenced by chitosan quantity. Cs NPs showed a substantial improvement in the permeation of Fasudil via the cornea, along with slower release compared to the Fasudil aqueous solution. The results from the Hen’s Egg Test Chorioallantoic Membrane (HET-CAM) and Bovine Corneal Opacity and Permeability (BCOP) tests indicated good conjunctival and corneal biocompatibility of the formulated chitosan nanoparticles, respectively. Lens epithelial cells displayed excellent tolerance to low concentrations of these nanoparticles (>94% cell viability). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the ocular absorption pathway of topically applied Fasudil hydrochloride where the cornea has been identified as a potential barrier that could be overcome using Cs NPs. Full article

The bacterial species Neisseria gonorrhoeae (N. gonorrhoeae) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) are amongst the main microorganisms that cause ophthalmia neonatorum. The current treatment involves the use of various antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, cephalosporin, ceftriaxone and cefotaxime. However, this treatment strategy is becoming more ineffective due to the antibiotic resistance in N. gonorrhoeae. The current study explores the potential use of fatty acid based microemulsions (ME) to prevent N. gonorrhoeae and S. aureus infections in new-borns’ eyes without harmful side effects such as corneal or conjunctiva irritation. Pseudo-ternary phase diagrams were constructed to evaluate microemulsion regions and six different α-linolenic acid based microemulsions were prepared. The prepared formulations were characterized for α-linolenic acid content, size, transparency, zeta potential, Polarized light Microscopy, antimicrobial activity and ex vivo ocular toxicity. The mean droplet size of the ME formulations was in the range of 190.4 to 350.5 nm and polydispersity index (PDI) values were in the range of 0.102 to 0.561. All formulations were found stable upon storage for at least 8 weeks. In addition, self-diffusion coefficients determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) reflected that the diffusability of water increased at higher than 30% w/w water, while that of fatty acids and surfactants was in reverse. The antimicrobial efficacy of microemulsions was determined against N. gonorrhoeae and S. aureus. It was concluded that all microemulsions have strong antimicrobial effects against N. gonorrhoeae and S. aureus. Finally, bovine corneal opacity permeability (BCOP) and hen’s egg chorioallantoic (HET-CAM) tests results showed that all microemulsion formulations were not strong ocular irritants. Full article