Foram sintetizadas duas séries de tensoativos catiônicos de estruturas gerais RCONH(CH2)2-N+(CH3)3 Cl- e RCONH(CH2)2-N+(CH3)2-CH2-C6H5 Cl-, sendo RCO uma cadeia acílica contendo 10, 12, 14 e 16 átomos de carbono. Estes tensoativos foram sintetizados pela reação do ácido carboxílico puro com N,N-dimetiletilenodiamina resultando na amidoamina correspondente. A quaternização desta última foi feita pela reação com cloreto de benzila ou com iodeto de metila. Os iodetos foram convertidos nos correspondentes cloretos por troca-iônica. A localização média da interface micelar e a conformação do grupo hidrofílico na micela foram investigadas por IV e RMN. A adsorção na interface solução-ar e a micelização foram estudadas por diversas técnicas: calorimetria, condutância, FEM (força eletromotriz), IV de FT, RMN e tensão superficial. Os resultados foram comparados com os de tensoativos catiônicos comuns, como R\'N+(CH3)3R\" Cl-, sendo R\' = grupo alquílico contendo de 10 a 16 carbonos e R\" = um grupo metila ou benzila. A adsorção e a micelização dos tensoativos contendo o \"espaçador\" (CONH-CH2-CH2) são mais favoráveis. Os valores de ΔGºads e ΔGºmic mais negativos para estes tensoativos, refletem principalmente a transferência mais favorável do grupo polar da solução aquosa para a interface solução/ar e/ou para a micela. Isto ocorre devido à formação de ligações de H, diretas e/ou via água, entre os grupos amida dos monômeros de tensoativo na interface e micela. As diferenças nos valores de ΔGºcabeça+CH3 dos tensoativos com e sem o grupo amida na adsorção (ΔΔGº ads cabeça+CH3 = -17.2 kJ mol-1) e micelização (ΔΔGº ads cabeça+CH3 = -5 a -7 kJ mol-1) estão de acordo com a energia de ligações de H fracas. Os resultados de IV de FT e RMN de 1H comprovaram a formação destas ligações de H e indicaram que a carbonila está presente na interface e o grupo benzila está voltado para o interior da micela. / Two series of cationic surfactants have been synthesized: benzyl-(2acylaminoetil) dimethylammonium chlorides, RCONH(CH2)2-N+(CH3)3 Cl-, and (2-acylaminoethyl)dimethylammonium chlorides, RCONH(CH2)2-N+(CH3)2-CH2-C6H5 Cl-, where RCO refers to an acyl group with 10, 12, 14 and 16 carbon atoms. These surfactants were obtained by reacting chromatographically pure carboxylic acids with N,N-dimethylethylenediamine to give an intermediate amidoamine. The latter was quaternized with benzyl chloride or methyl iodide. Surfactants with iodide counter-ion were transformed into the corresponding chlorides by ion exchange on a macro-porous resin. The average position of micellar interface and conformation of the headgroup were studied by FTIR and NMR. A multi-technique approach has been employed in order to study the effects of the presence of the \"spacer\" group (-CONH- CH2-CH2) on the adsorption and aggregation of these surfactants. The techniques employed were: calorimetry, conductance and EMF measurements, FTIR, NMR, surface tension, and Iight scattering. Surfactants with the spacer group (CONH-CH2-CH2) have more favorable Gibbs free energies of adsorption and/or micellization due to the more favorable transfer of the head-group from bulk phase to the interface and/or the micelle. This is attributed to the formation of direct, and/or water-mediated H-bonding between the surfactant amide groups. Differences in values of ΔGºHead-group+CH3 of surfactants with and without spacer group (ΔΔGº ads Head-group+CH3 = -17.2 kJ mol-1 and ΔΔGº ads Head-group+CH3 = -5 a -7 kJ mol-1 for adsorption and/or micellization, respectively) are in agreement with weak hydrogen bonding. Additional evidence for H-bond formation and for the (average) conformation of the benzyl head-group in the micelle was provided by FTIR and NMR data. The former showed that the amide group is highly hydrated, whereas the latter showed shielding/deshielding of the methylene groups of the surfactant hydrophobic tail, in agreement with a conformation in which the benzyl group is \"bent\" toward the micellar interior.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo o estudo do estado sólido do ganciclovir (GCV) e suas diferentes formas polimórficas. O GCV é um fármaco antiviral útil no tratamento de infecções por citomegalovírus (CMV). Embora seja um fármaco amplamente usado, poucos estudos têm sido realizados sobre seu estado sólido. Atualmente, o GCV é conhecido por apresentar quatro formas cristalinas, duas anidras (Forma I e II) e duas hidratas (III e IV). Neste trabalho, nós reportamos a solução da estrutura cristalográfica da Forma I do GCV, que foi encontrado durante o screening de cristalização do fármaco, em que nove ensaios de cristalização (GCV-1, GCV-A, GCV-B, GCV-C, GCV-D, GCV-E, GCV-F, GCV-G e GCV-H) foram realizados e os materiais resultantes foram caracterizados por Difratometria de raios X (DRX), análise térmica (DTA/TG) e Hot Stage Microscopy. De todas as cristalizações realizadas foram obtidas quatro formas sólidas, denominadas como Forma I (GCV-1, GCV-B e GCV-H), Forma III (GCV-C, GCV-D, GCV-F e GCV-G), Forma IV (GCV-A) e Forma V (GCV-E). Esta última está sendo descrita pela primeira vez na literatura e indica a presença de outra forma hidratada de GCV. As Formas I, III e IV corresponderam a forma anidra e as duas formas hidratadas do fármaco, respectivamente. Além disso, foi evidenciado por experimentos de conversão de slurry e análise térmica que o cristalizado de GCV-1 (Forma I) foi o mais estável entre os materiais obtidos, e este deu origem ao monocristal da Forma I de GCV, estrutura cristalina anidra do fármaco. Neste trabalho, pela primeira vez, a estrutura cristalina deste composto foi definida por cristalografia de raios X de monocristal. A análise estrutural mostrou que a Forma I do fármaco cristaliza no grupo espacial monoclínico P21/c e está composta por quatro moléculas de GCV na sua unidade assimétrica. Cada molécula está unida intermolecularmente por ligações de hidrogênio, que dão lugar à formação de cadeias infinitas e estas por sua vez se arranjam de maneira a formar uma estrutura tridimensional. / This presented work aims to study the solid state of ganciclovir (GCV) and its different polymorphic forms. GCV is an antiviral drug useful in the treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections. Although it is a widely-used drug, few studies have been conducted on its solid state. Currently, GCV is known to have four crystalline forms, two anhydrous (Form I and II) and two hydrates (III and IV). In this investigation, we report a successful preparation of GCV Form I and its crystallographic structure, which was found during the crystallization of the drug, in which nine crystallization tests (GCV-1, GCV-A, GCV-B, GCV- D, GCV-E, GCV-F, GCV-G and GCV-H) were performed and the resulting materials were characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD), thermal analysis (DTA/TG) and Hot Stage Microscopy. Of all the crystallizations performed, four solid forms were obtained, denoted as Form I (GCV-1, GCV-B and GCV- H), Form III (GCV-C, GCV-D, GCV-F and GCV-G), Form IV (GCV-A) and Form V (GCV-E). The latter is being described for the first time in the literature and indicates the presence of another hydrated form of GCV. Forms I, III and IV corresponded to the anhydrous form and the two hydrated forms of the drug, respectively. In addition, it was evident by both the slurry conversion and the thermal analysis methods that the GCV-1 crystallized (Form I) was indeed the most stable amongst the materials obtained. This gave rise to GCV Form I monocrystal, anhydrous crystalline structure of the drug. The compound was characterized by monocrystal X-ray crystallography. The structural analysis showed that Form I of the drug crystallized in the monoclinic system space group P21/c is composed of four molecules of GCV in its asymmetric unit. Each molecule is linked intermolecularly by hydrogen bonds, which give rise to the formation of infinite chains arranged in a way that form a three-dimensional structure.

O conhecimento da qualidade do pólen apícola e a sua influência sobre o desenvolvimento de colônias pode contribuir, principalmente, para a melhoria da atividade apícola e para o controle de qualidade do pólen comercializado para o consumo animal e humano. O presente trabalho objetivou caracterizar o pólen quanto a origem botânica, determinar parâmetros físicoquímicos e, relacionar com o desenvolvimento de colônias de abelhas africanizadas (Apis mellifera L.), medido pelo tamanho da área ocupada com pólen, mel e cria dentro da colméia (cm²) e a assimetria flutuante das asas de abelhas operárias. O experimento de campo foi realizado no apiário do Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia da Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz em Piracicaba, SP, onde foram instaladas cinco colméias de A. mellifera com um coletor de pólen tipo frontal. As coletas foram realizadas nas quatro estações climáticas do ano: outono (02/abr. a 28/maio/2008), inverno (09/jul. a 03/set./2008), primavera (07/out. a 02/dez./2008) e verão (09/jan. a 06/mar./2009). O local de instalação do apiário apresenta domínio de vegetação de Floresta Estacional Semidecidual (Mata Atlântica), porém com amplas áreas antropizadas, onde existem cultivos agrícolas e canteiros ornamentais com árvores e ervas. Ao longo do ano foram encontrados 81 tipos polínicos nas cargas de pólen interceptadas, pertencentes a 32 famílias botânicas. Pão de abelhas apresentou 86 tipos polínicos, pertencentes a 34 famílias botânicas, sendo Fabaceae, Asteraceae e Malvaceae as famílias com maior freqüência de tipos polínicos ( 5 tipos polínicos) e, Myrtaceae, a família com alta freqüência de grãos de pólen. As médias anuais de matéria seca (67,41%), proteína bruta (27,02%), extrato etéreo (3,66%), matéria mineral (3,34%) e carboidratos totais (65,41%) de cargas e, matéria seca (78,80%) e proteína bruta (25,89%) de pão de abelhas estão de acordo com o regulamento técnico para comercialização do pólen no Brasil. A composição polínica apresentou relação com os valores de matéria seca (Piper sp. e Vernonia polyanthes), proteína bruta (Eucalyptus sp., Fabaceae tipo 2 e Myrcia sp.), extrato etéreo (Astrocaryum sp., Parthenium sp. e V. polyanthes), matéria mineral (Myrcia sp.) e, com carboidratos totais (Parthenium sp. e V. polyanthes). Proteína bruta e extrato etéreo tenderam em se relacionar com indivíduos mais simétricos. A área ocupada dentro da colméia esteve relacionada com a quantidade de pólen coletado, riqueza e equitabilidade da composição polínica (n=45; p-valor<0,05). Com base nos resultados obtidos, conclui-se que, as famílias botânicas Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Malvaceae e Myrtaceae são as mais importantes fontes poliníferas em Piracicaba. A origem botânica do pólen apícola tem efeito sobre a sua qualidade físico-química. Os valores de proteína bruta, extrato etéreo, quantidade de pólen coletado, riqueza e equitabilidade da composição polínica influenciam positivamente o desenvolvimento de colônias. / The knowledge of the apiarist pollen and its influence on the colonies development could contribute mainly for the improvement of the apiarist activity and for the quality control of the commercialized pollen for animal and human consumption. This assignment had as a goal to characterize the pollen in respect of the botanical origin, to determine physicochemical parameters and to relate it with the africanized bee colonies development (Apis mellifera L.), measured by the area size occupied with pollen, honey and breed inside the beehive (cm²) and the wings fluctuating asymmetry from the worker bees. The outside experiment was performed in the apiary of the Entomology and Acarology Department from the Agriculture College Luiz de Queiroz in Piracicaba, SP, where there were mounted five beehives of A. mellifera with a frontal pollen collector. The swabs were done in the four year seasons: fall (02/april to 28/may/2008), winter (09/july to 03/september/2008), spring (07/october to 02/december/2008) and summer (09/january to 06/march/2009). The apiary installation place presents predominance of Semidecidual Seasonal Forest vegetation (Atlantic Forest), but with wide cultivated areas, where it exist several agricultural crops and ornamental sites with trees and herbs. During the year, there were found 81 pollinical types in the intercepted pollen load, which belong to 32 botanical families. Bees bread presented 86 pollinical types, which belong to 34 botanical families, in that Fabaceae, Asteraceae and Malvaceae are the families with higher frequency of pollinical types ( 5 pollinical types) and, Myrtaceae, the family with high frequency of pollen seeds. The annual averages of dry matter (67.41%), crude protein (27.02%), ether extract (3.66%), mineral matter (3.34%) and total carbohydrates (65.41%) of loads and, dry matter (78.80%) and crude protein (25.89%) of bees bread are in accordance with the technical regulation for pollen commercialization in Brazil. The pollinical composition presented relation with the values of dry matter (Piper sp. and Vernonia polyanthes), crude protein (Eucalyptus sp., Fabaceae type 2 and Myrcia sp.), ether extract (Astrocaryum sp., Parthenium sp. and V. polyanthes), mineral matter (Myrcia sp.) and with total carbohydrates (Parthenium sp. and V. polyanthes). Crude protein and ether extract tended to relate to individuals more symmetrical. The area occupied within the hive was related to the amount of pollen collected, richness and evenness of pollen composition (n=45; p-value<0.05). According the results, it is concluded that the Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Malvaceae and Myrtaceae botanical families are the most important polliniferous sources in Piracicaba. The botanical origin of apiarist pollen has effect on its physicochemical quality. The values of crude protein, ether extract, collected pollen quantity, richness and evenness of pollinical composition have positive influence in the colonies development.

Thesis (PhD (Pharmaceutics))--PU for CHE, 1999.

In recent years, the celebration activities of various types of folk-custom festivals in Taiwan have already been getting more and more attention from civilians. Festivities throughout the whole island are traditionally accompanied by loud and brightly colored firework displays. Among these activities, the firework display during the Chinese Lantern Festival in Kaohsiung City is one of the largest festivals in Taiwan every year. Therefore, it is important to investigate the influences of firework displays on ambient air quality during the Chinese Lantern Festival in Kaohsiung City. Field measurement of ambient gaseous pollutants and particulate matter (PM) was conducted on February 9-12, 2009, the Chinese Lantern Festival, in Kaohsiung City. Moreover, three kinds of firework powders obtained from the same factory producing Kaohsiung Lantern Festival fireworks were burned in a combustion chamber to determine the physicochemical properties of firework aerosols. Metallic elements were analyzed with an inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES). Ionic species and carbonaceous contents in the PM samples were analyzed with an ion chromatography (IC) and an elemental analyzer (EA), respectively. Finally, the source identification and apportionment of PM were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA), enrichment factor (EF), and receptor modeling (CMB). For inorganic gaseous pollutants, the concentration peaks of NO, NO2, O3, CO were observed during the firework periods, and the concentration peak of NO was approximately 8.8 times higher than those during the non-firework periods. This study further revealed that, even at nighttime, ambient O3 could be reduced dramatically during the firework periods, whenas NO2 concentration increased concurrently, due to titration effects resulting from the prompt reaction of NO with O3 to form NO2 and O2. For organic gaseous pollutants, the concentration peak of toluene during the firework periods was approximately 2.2-4.1 times higher than those during the non-firework periods. Several metallic elements of PM during the firework display periods were obviously higher than those during the non-firework periods. On February 10, the concentrations of Mg, K, Pb, and Sr in PM2.5 were 10 times higher than those during the non-firework periods. Besides, the Cl-/Na+ ratio was slightly smaller than 1 in Kaohsiung Harbor, but it was approximately 3 during the firework display periods since Cl- came form chlorine content in firework aerosols at this time. Moreover, OC/EC ratio increased up to 2.8. In addition to the analysis of gaseous pollutants and PM during the Chinese Lantern Festival in Kaohsiung City, this study burned firework powders in a self-designed combustion chamber to measure the physicochemical properties of firework aerosols. In the results, K, Mg, Cl-, OC were major contents (<10%) in the aerosols produced from the burning firework powders. Moreover, Cl-/Na+ and OC/EC ratio were 15.0~23.4 and 2.9~3.2, respectively. Consequently, Cl-/Na+ and OC/EC ratio can be used as two important indicators of firework displays. Results obtained from PCA and CMB receptor modeling showed that the major sources of aerosols during the firework display periods were firework displays, motor/diesel vehicle exhanst, soil dusts, and marine aerosols. Besides, the firework displays on February 10 contributed approximately 25.2% and 16.6% of PM10 at two sampling sites, respectively.

This study investigated the influences of sea-land breezes (SLBs) and northeastern monsoon (NEM) on the transportation and dispersion of air pollutants over coastal region in southern Taiwan. The physicochemical properties of particulate matter (PM) was simultaneously sampled and analyzed at both inland and offshore sites during eight intensive sampling periods. This study further used a SURFER 2-D plotting software, a backward trajectory model, a 3-D meteorological model (MM5), and a comprehensive air quality model (CAMx) to simulate surface wind fields and spatial distribution of air pollutants over the coastal region during the intensive sampling periods of SLBs and NEM. According to the meteorological condition and the synoptic weather patterns of the observation data showed that the SLBs sampling periods commonly occurred the weather patterns were zone of low pressure, pacific high pressure, and west stretch of the pacific high pressure when the main prevailing wind direction were west wind and southwest wind. During the NEM sampling periods, the weather patterns were strong northeastern monsoon, standard northeastern monsoon, and outflow rebound with high pressure in southern Taiwan, and then the main prevailing wind direction were northwest wind and northeast wind. However, during the MIX sampling periods, the weather patterns were outflow circulation of typhoon, weak northeastern monsoon, and outflow rebound with high pressure, while the wind directions didn¡¦t change regular. Thus, at coastal sites, the sea-land breezes induce an inland transport of air pollutants during the daytime and a seaward return of air pollutants at nighttime, causing a recirculation of air pollutants back to inland regions each day during the SLBs sampling periods. During the NEM sampling period was mainly brought from the northeastern wind which transported air pollutants from the northern region to Kaohsiung metropolitan area. The results of PM concentration and size distribution indicated that the inland sites had a higher fraction of fine particles (PM2.5), whereas the offshore sites had a higher fraction of coarse particles (PM2.5-10). These phenomena were attributed to the fact that marine aerosols are generally abundant in the coarse particles. PM concentration is relatively higher during the NEM sampling periods than during the SLBs and MIX sampling periods. For PM concentration, the order of secondary inorganic aerosols (SIA) was NEM > MIX > SLBs, while the SIA/Ions ratio of PM2.5 were approximately 50% during sampling periods. The [NO3-]/[SO42-] ratios of PM2.5 and PM2.5-10 during the SLBs sampling periods were always lowest than those during the NEM and MIX sampling periods. It is suggested that the PM concentrations during the SLBs sampling periods were highly influenced by stationary sources emissions. The crustal elements indicated that the Al, Ca, Fe, and K contributed major composition of particles. Artificial metals, such as Mg, Pb, V, and Zn were also enriched in the atmospheric PM during the NEM sampling periods. In addition, the higher concentration of Fe was attributed to local anthropogenic emission and weak northeastern monsoon during the MIX sampling periods. Regardless of inland or offshore sites, a high concentration of secondary organic carbon (SOC) during the NEM and MIX sampling periods was consistent with OC/EC ratio higher than 2.2 indicates the potential formation of secondary aerosols. Chloride deficit of PM at inland sites were lost easily for approximately 40.28% during the NEM sampling periods. Moreover, the lowest [Cl-]/[Na+] ratio occurred during the sampling periods when the chloride deficit was relative high at inland sites. According to the results of neutralization ratio (NR), regardless of the periods (SLBs, NEM, and MIX), the particulates of inland and offshore sites were both acid. During the NEM and MIX sampling periods, sulphur oxidation ratio (SOR) of PM2.5 over coastal region in southern Taiwan were above 0.25. It is suggested that the results of SOR during those sampling periods were highly influenced by long transportation. In addition, the nitrogen oxidation ratio was lower influenced than SOR over coastal region in southern Taiwan. It is suggested that air quality of Kaohsiung metropolitan area were influenced by the industrial source emissions. During the SLBs sampling period, sea breezes blown in the morning transported the offshore PM10 back to the inland sites in the Kaohsiung metropolitan area. In contrast, the air mass observed during the NEM sampling period was brought to the Kaohsiung metropolitan area mainly by a northerly wind which transported air mass originating in the northern region (i.e. Chiayi counties). The backward trajectory modeling of the MIX sampling periods suggested that the winds were dominated by the Northeastern Monsoon, and as such, likely inhibited the influences of sea-land breezes. Local surface air mass circulation over southern Taiwan obtained from MM5 model influenced by the southwestern monsoon during the SLBs sampling period. The weather in southern Taiwan during the NEM intensive sampling period was occasionally influenced by the Northeastern Monsoon as well as by complex terrain. During the MIX sampling periods, air mass recirculation was frequently observed in the coastal region of southern Taiwan. The results of CAMx model showed that air pollutions were occurred apparent sea breezes in the afternoon and land breezes at night during the SLBs sampling period. During the NEM sampling period, a strong Northeastern Monsoon blew air pollutions from the north to the southern region. We have compared the model simulation with field measured O3 and PM10 concentrations for inland and offshore regions. The order of correlation coefficients of &not;the model simulation and the measurement for O3&not; and PM10 in sampling periods is SLBs>MIX>NEM and NEM>MIX>SLBs, respectively. Overall, the correlation coefficients of the model simulation and the measurement were middle and high correlation.

Kidney bean proteins and peptides can be developed to serve as an important ingredient for the formulation of high quality foods or therapeutic products that may positively impact on body function and human health. The main goal of this thesis was to determine the in vitro structural and functional characteristics of major proteins and enzymatic protein hydrolysate of red kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). Selective aammonium sulfate precipitation of the kidney bean proteins yielded 88% globulin and 7% albumin.The globulin and albumin are glycoproteins that contained ~4% and 45% carbohydrate contents, respectively. Physicochemical and functional characteristics of the globulin fraction, such as, gelation concentration, foam stability, emulsion capacity, and emulsion stability were superior to those of albumin. Reducing SDS-PAGE revealed vicilin with molecular weight of ~45 kDa as the major globulin in kidney beans. Circular dichroism spectroscopy of the purified vicilin showed reductions in α-helix, and β-pleated sheet conformations upon addition of NaCl or changes in pH. Likewise, the tertiary structures as observed from the near-UV CD spectra were also changed by shifts in pH conditions and NaCl addition. Far UV-CD showed increased β-sheet content up till 60oC from room temperature, but a steady loss in the tertiary structure as temperature was further increased; however, β-sheet structure was still detectable at 80oC. Differential scanning calorimetry thermograms showed a prominent endothermic peak with denaturation temperature at around 90oC, attributed to thermal denaturation of vicilin. Alcalase hydrolysis of kidney bean globulin produced multifunctional peptides that showed potential antihypertensive properties because of the in vitro inhibition of activities of renin and angiotensin I converting enzyme as well as the antioxidant properties. The <1 and 5-10 kDa peptide fractions exhibited highest (p<0.05) renin inhibition and the ability to scavenge 2, 2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical, inhibit peroxidation of linoleic acid and reduce Fe3+ to Fe2+. Based on this study, incorporation of kidney bean globulin as an ingredient may be useful for the manufacture of high quality food products. Likewise, the kidney bean protein hydrolysates, especially the <1 kDa fraction represent a potential source of bioactive peptides for the formulation of functional foods and nutraceuticals.

A pharmaceutical dosage form is an entity that is administered to patients so that they receive an effective dose of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). The proper design and formulation of a transdermal dosage form require a thorough understanding of the physiological factors affecting percutaneous penetration and physicochemical characteristics of the API, as well as that of the pharmaceutical exipients that are used during formulation. The API and pharmaceutical excipients must be compatible with one another to produce a formulation that is stable, efficacious, attractive, easy to administer, and safe (Mahato, 2007:11). Amongst others, the physicochemical properties indicate the suitability of the type of dosage form, as well as any potential problems associated with instability, poor permeation and the target site to be reached (Wells & Aulton, 2002:337). Therefore, when developing new or improved dosage forms, it is of utmost importance to evaluate the factors influencing design and formulation to provide the best possible dosage form and formulation for the API in question. Delivery of an API through the skin has long been a promising concept due to its large surface area, ease of access, vast exposure to the circulatory and lymphatic networks, and non-invasive nature of the therapy. This is true whether a local or systemic pharmacological effect is desired (Aukunuru et al., 2007:856). However, most APIs are administered orally as this route is considered to be the simplest, most convenient and safest route of API administration. Since ibuprofen is highly metabolised in the liver and gastrointestinal tract, oral administration thereof results in decreased bioavailability. Furthermore, it also causes gastric mucosal damage, bleeding and ulceration. Another obstacle associated with oral API delivery is that some APIs require continuous delivery which is difficult to achieve (Bouwstra et al., 2003:3). Therefore, there is significant interest to develop topical dosage forms for ibuprofen to avoid side effects associated with oral delivery and to provide relatively consistent API levels at the application site for prolonged periods (Rhee et al., 2003:14). The aim of this study was to determine the influence of selected formulation factors on the transdermal delivery of ibuprofen. In order to achieve this aim, the physicochemical properties of ibuprofen had to be evaluated. The aqueous solubility, pH-solubility profile, octanol-water partition coefficient (log P-value) and octanol-buffer distribution coefficient (log D-values, pH 5 and 7.4) of ibuprofen were determined. According to Naik et al., (2000:319) the ideal aqueous solubility of APIs for transdermal delivery should be more than 1 mg.ml-1. However, results showed that ibuprofen depicted an aqueous solubility of 0.096 mg.ml-1 ± 25.483, which indicated poor water solubility and would therefore be rendered less favourable for transdermal delivery if only considering the aqueous solubility. The pH-solubility profile depicted that ibuprofen was less soluble at low pH-values and more soluble at higher pH-values. Previous research indicated that the ideal log Pvalues for transdermal API permeation of non steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are between 2 and 3 (Swart et al., 2005:72). Results obtained during this study indicated a log P-value of 4.238 for ibuprofen. This value was not included in the ideal range, which is an indication that the lipophilic/hydrophilic properties are not ideal, and this might therefore; contribute to poor ibuprofen penetration through the skin. Furthermore, the obtained log D-values at pH 5 and 7.4 were 3.105 and 0.386, respectively. Therefore, it would be expected that ibuprofen incorporated into a formulation prepared at a pH of 5 would more readily permeate the skin compared to ibuprofen incorporated into a formulation prepared at a pH of 7.4. A gel, an emulgel and a Pheroid™ emulgel were formulated at pH 5 and 7.4, in order to examine which dosage form formulated at which pH would deliver enhanced transdermal delivery. Obtained diffusion results of the different semi-solid formulations were furthermore compared to a South African marketed commercial product (Nurofen® gel) in order to establish if a comparable formulation could be obtained. An artificial membrane was used to conduct the membrane permeation studies over a period of 6 h, in order to determine whether ibuprofen was in fact released from the formulations through the membrane. Skin permeation studies were conducted using Franz diffusion cells over a period of 12 h where samples were withdrawn at specified time intervals. All the formulations exhibited an increase in the average cumulative amount of ibuprofen released from the formulations and that permeated the membrane when compared to Nurofen® gel. This increase was statistically significant (p<0.05) for the gel, emulgel and Pheroid™ emulgel at pH 7.4. The gel at pH 7.4 exhibited the highest cumulative amount of ibuprofen that permeated the membrane. Preparations formulated at a pH of 5, did not differ significantly from Nurofen® when the average cumulative amount of ibuprofen that permeated the membrane were compared. The following rank order for the average cumulative amount released from the formulations could be established: Gel (pH 7.4) >>>> Pheroid™ emulgel (pH 7.4) > Emulgel (pH 7.4) >>> Gel (pH 5)> Pheroid™ emulgel (pH 5) ≈ Emulgel (pH 5) > Nurofen® gel. On the other hand, all the formulations exhibited an increase in the average cumulative amount of ibuprofen that permeated the skin when compared to Nurofen® gel. This increase was statistically significant (p < 0.05) for the gel, emulgel and Pheroid™ emulgel at pH 5, as well as the emulgel and Pheroid™ emulgel at pH 7.4. The emulgel at pH 5 exhibited the highest cumulative amount of ibuprofen that permeated the skin. The following rank order for the average cumulative amount released from the formulations and that permeated the skin could be established: Emulgel (pH 5) >> Pheroid™ emulgel (pH 5) > Gel (pH 5) > Emulgel (pH 7.4)> Pheroid™ emulgel (pH 7.4) ≈ Emulgel (pH 7.4) >> Nurofen® gel > Gel (pH 7.4). From this rank order it was clear that a trend was followed where the pH of formulation also played a role in ibuprofen permeation. All the formulations exhibited a higher release rate and flux when compared to Nurofen® gel. This was statistically significant for the emulgel, gel and Pheroid™ emulgel at pH 7.4. The gel at pH 7.4 exhibited the highest release rate and flux. This was observed for the membrane and skin permeation studies. All the formulations (including Nurofen® gel) presented a correlation coefficient (r2) of 0.972 – 0.995 for membrane permeation studies, and 0.950 – 0.978 for skin permeation studies; indicating that the release of ibuprofen from each of the formulations could be described by the Higuchi model. Furthermore, all the formulations exhibited a prolonged lag time compared to Nurofen® gel which indicated that the ibuprofen was retained for a longer time by the base. This was statistically significant (p < 0.05) for the emulgel at pH 7.4, the gel and Pheroid™ emulgel at pH 5. The gel at pH 7.4 exhibited a lag time closest to that of Nurofen® gel and this difference could not be classified as statistically significant (p > 0.286). This was observed for the membrane and skin permeation studies. Nurofen® gel exhibited the highest ibuprofen concentration in the stratum corneum as well as in the epidermis followed by the gel at pH 7.4. However, results obtained for all the formulations indicated that topical as well as transdermal delivery of ibuprofen was achieved. The pH of a formulation plays an important role with respect to API permeation. Ibuprofen is reported to have a pKa value 4.4 (Dollery, 1999:I1); and by application of the Henderson-Hasselbach equation, at pH 5, 20.08% of ibuprofen will be present in its unionised form and at pH 7.4, 0.1% ibuprofen will exist in its unionised form. Since the unionised form of APIs is more lipid soluble than the ionised form, unionised forms of APIs permeate more readily across the lipid membranes (Surber & Smith, 2000:27). Therefore, it would be expected that ibuprofen formulated at pH 5 would be more permeable than formulations at pH 7.4. However, this did not correspond to the results (membrane studies) obtained in this study. It may be attributed to the solubility of ibuprofen in the different formulations. According to the pH-solubility profile of ibuprofen obtained in this study, it was more soluble at pH 7.4 than at pH 5. This was due to the fact that ibuprofen is a weak acidic compound, and for every 3 units away from the pKa-value, the solubility changes 10-fold (Mahato, 2007:14). However, with regard to the skin permeation studies, enhanced permeation was obtained with the formulations prepared at pH 5. This was in accordance with Corrigan et al., (2003:148) who stated that NSAIDs are less soluble and more permeable at low pH values, and more soluble and less permeable at high pH values. This was most probably due to the fact that unionised species, although possessing a lower aqueous solubility than the ionised species, resulted in enhanced skin permeation due to being more lipid-soluble. Finally, stability tests on the different semi-solid formulations for a period of three months at different temperature and humidity conditions were conducted to determine product stability. The formulations were stored at 25 °C/60% RH (relative humidity), 30 °C/60% RH and 40 °C/75% RH. Stability tests included: mass variation, pH, zeta potential, droplet size, visual appearance, assay, and viscosity. No significant change was observed for mass variation, pH, zeta potential and droplet size over the three months for any of the different formulations stored at the different storage conditions. In addition, no significant change in colour was observed for the gel and emulgel formulations at pH 5 and 7.4 over the three months at all the storage conditions. However, it was observed that the formulations containing Pheroid™ showed a drastic change in colour at all the storage conditions. This might have been due to oxidation of certain components present in the Pheroid™ system. Consequently, further investigation is necessary to find the cause of the discolouration and a method to prevent it. The gel formulated at pH 5 depicted the formation of crystals. This might have been due to the fact that the solubility of ibuprofen was exceeded, leading to it precipitating from the formulation. A possible contributing factor to the varying assay values obtained during the study might have been due to non-homogenous sample withdrawal. On the other hand, no significant change was observed for the emulgel and Pheroid™ emulgel formulated at pH 5 and 7.4. The emulgel and Pheroid™ emulgel formulated at pH 5 depicted relative instability (according to the International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements For Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use, ICH) only at 40 °C/75% RH with a change in ibuprofen content of more than 5% (6.78 and 6.46%, respectively). The gel, emulgel and Pheroid™ emulgel at pH 7.4 exhibited the least variation in ibuprofen concentration at all of the storage conditions. This might indicate that the pH at which a semi-solid formulation is produced will have a direct influence on the stability of the product. No significant changes in viscosity (%RSD < 5) was observed for the gel and emulgel formulated at pH 7.4 and stored at 25 °C/60% RH. The remaining formulations at all of the specified storage conditions exhibited a significant change in viscosity (%RSD > 5) with a decrease in viscosity being more pronounced at the higher temperature and humidity storage conditions. A possible contributing factor to the change in viscosity over three months at the specified storage conditions might have been due to the use of Pluronic® F-127 (viscosity enhancer). This viscosity enhancer possesses a melting point of approximately 56 °C (BAST Corporation. s.a). The problem with this might have been the temperature (70 °C) at which the formulations were prepared. The higher preparation temperature might have caused the Pluronic® F-127 to degrade, thereby losing its ability to function appropriately. A balance must be maintained between optimum solubility and maximum stability (Pefile & Smith, 1997:148). Despite the lower skin permeation of the gel formulated at pH 7.4, this formulation performed the best, as it was considered stable (least variation during the 3 month stability test) and the obtained tape stripping results showed that this formulation depicted the highest ibuprofen concentrations in the stratum corneum and epidermis. Thus, topical as well as transdermal delivery were obtained. / Thesis (MSc (Pharmaceutics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

A pharmaceutical dosage form is an entity that is administered to patients so that they receive an effective dose of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). The proper design and formulation of a transdermal dosage form require a thorough understanding of the physiological factors affecting percutaneous penetration and physicochemical characteristics of the API, as well as that of the pharmaceutical exipients that are used during formulation. The API and pharmaceutical excipients must be compatible with one another to produce a formulation that is stable, efficacious, attractive, easy to administer, and safe (Mahato, 2007:11). Amongst others, the physicochemical properties indicate the suitability of the type of dosage form, as well as any potential problems associated with instability, poor permeation and the target site to be reached (Wells & Aulton, 2002:337). Therefore, when developing new or improved dosage forms, it is of utmost importance to evaluate the factors influencing design and formulation to provide the best possible dosage form and formulation for the API in question. Delivery of an API through the skin has long been a promising concept due to its large surface area, ease of access, vast exposure to the circulatory and lymphatic networks, and non-invasive nature of the therapy. This is true whether a local or systemic pharmacological effect is desired (Aukunuru et al., 2007:856). However, most APIs are administered orally as this route is considered to be the simplest, most convenient and safest route of API administration. Since ibuprofen is highly metabolised in the liver and gastrointestinal tract, oral administration thereof results in decreased bioavailability. Furthermore, it also causes gastric mucosal damage, bleeding and ulceration. Another obstacle associated with oral API delivery is that some APIs require continuous delivery which is difficult to achieve (Bouwstra et al., 2003:3). Therefore, there is significant interest to develop topical dosage forms for ibuprofen to avoid side effects associated with oral delivery and to provide relatively consistent API levels at the application site for prolonged periods (Rhee et al., 2003:14). The aim of this study was to determine the influence of selected formulation factors on the transdermal delivery of ibuprofen. In order to achieve this aim, the physicochemical properties of ibuprofen had to be evaluated. The aqueous solubility, pH-solubility profile, octanol-water partition coefficient (log P-value) and octanol-buffer distribution coefficient (log D-values, pH 5 and 7.4) of ibuprofen were determined. According to Naik et al., (2000:319) the ideal aqueous solubility of APIs for transdermal delivery should be more than 1 mg.ml-1. However, results showed that ibuprofen depicted an aqueous solubility of 0.096 mg.ml-1 ± 25.483, which indicated poor water solubility and would therefore be rendered less favourable for transdermal delivery if only considering the aqueous solubility. The pH-solubility profile depicted that ibuprofen was less soluble at low pH-values and more soluble at higher pH-values. Previous research indicated that the ideal log Pvalues for transdermal API permeation of non steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are between 2 and 3 (Swart et al., 2005:72). Results obtained during this study indicated a log P-value of 4.238 for ibuprofen. This value was not included in the ideal range, which is an indication that the lipophilic/hydrophilic properties are not ideal, and this might therefore; contribute to poor ibuprofen penetration through the skin. Furthermore, the obtained log D-values at pH 5 and 7.4 were 3.105 and 0.386, respectively. Therefore, it would be expected that ibuprofen incorporated into a formulation prepared at a pH of 5 would more readily permeate the skin compared to ibuprofen incorporated into a formulation prepared at a pH of 7.4. A gel, an emulgel and a Pheroid™ emulgel were formulated at pH 5 and 7.4, in order to examine which dosage form formulated at which pH would deliver enhanced transdermal delivery. Obtained diffusion results of the different semi-solid formulations were furthermore compared to a South African marketed commercial product (Nurofen® gel) in order to establish if a comparable formulation could be obtained. An artificial membrane was used to conduct the membrane permeation studies over a period of 6 h, in order to determine whether ibuprofen was in fact released from the formulations through the membrane. Skin permeation studies were conducted using Franz diffusion cells over a period of 12 h where samples were withdrawn at specified time intervals. All the formulations exhibited an increase in the average cumulative amount of ibuprofen released from the formulations and that permeated the membrane when compared to Nurofen® gel. This increase was statistically significant (p<0.05) for the gel, emulgel and Pheroid™ emulgel at pH 7.4. The gel at pH 7.4 exhibited the highest cumulative amount of ibuprofen that permeated the membrane. Preparations formulated at a pH of 5, did not differ significantly from Nurofen® when the average cumulative amount of ibuprofen that permeated the membrane were compared. The following rank order for the average cumulative amount released from the formulations could be established: Gel (pH 7.4) >>>> Pheroid™ emulgel (pH 7.4) > Emulgel (pH 7.4) >>> Gel (pH 5)> Pheroid™ emulgel (pH 5) ≈ Emulgel (pH 5) > Nurofen® gel. On the other hand, all the formulations exhibited an increase in the average cumulative amount of ibuprofen that permeated the skin when compared to Nurofen® gel. This increase was statistically significant (p < 0.05) for the gel, emulgel and Pheroid™ emulgel at pH 5, as well as the emulgel and Pheroid™ emulgel at pH 7.4. The emulgel at pH 5 exhibited the highest cumulative amount of ibuprofen that permeated the skin. The following rank order for the average cumulative amount released from the formulations and that permeated the skin could be established: Emulgel (pH 5) >> Pheroid™ emulgel (pH 5) > Gel (pH 5) > Emulgel (pH 7.4)> Pheroid™ emulgel (pH 7.4) ≈ Emulgel (pH 7.4) >> Nurofen® gel > Gel (pH 7.4). From this rank order it was clear that a trend was followed where the pH of formulation also played a role in ibuprofen permeation. All the formulations exhibited a higher release rate and flux when compared to Nurofen® gel. This was statistically significant for the emulgel, gel and Pheroid™ emulgel at pH 7.4. The gel at pH 7.4 exhibited the highest release rate and flux. This was observed for the membrane and skin permeation studies. All the formulations (including Nurofen® gel) presented a correlation coefficient (r2) of 0.972 – 0.995 for membrane permeation studies, and 0.950 – 0.978 for skin permeation studies; indicating that the release of ibuprofen from each of the formulations could be described by the Higuchi model. Furthermore, all the formulations exhibited a prolonged lag time compared to Nurofen® gel which indicated that the ibuprofen was retained for a longer time by the base. This was statistically significant (p < 0.05) for the emulgel at pH 7.4, the gel and Pheroid™ emulgel at pH 5. The gel at pH 7.4 exhibited a lag time closest to that of Nurofen® gel and this difference could not be classified as statistically significant (p > 0.286). This was observed for the membrane and skin permeation studies. Nurofen® gel exhibited the highest ibuprofen concentration in the stratum corneum as well as in the epidermis followed by the gel at pH 7.4. However, results obtained for all the formulations indicated that topical as well as transdermal delivery of ibuprofen was achieved. The pH of a formulation plays an important role with respect to API permeation. Ibuprofen is reported to have a pKa value 4.4 (Dollery, 1999:I1); and by application of the Henderson-Hasselbach equation, at pH 5, 20.08% of ibuprofen will be present in its unionised form and at pH 7.4, 0.1% ibuprofen will exist in its unionised form. Since the unionised form of APIs is more lipid soluble than the ionised form, unionised forms of APIs permeate more readily across the lipid membranes (Surber & Smith, 2000:27). Therefore, it would be expected that ibuprofen formulated at pH 5 would be more permeable than formulations at pH 7.4. However, this did not correspond to the results (membrane studies) obtained in this study. It may be attributed to the solubility of ibuprofen in the different formulations. According to the pH-solubility profile of ibuprofen obtained in this study, it was more soluble at pH 7.4 than at pH 5. This was due to the fact that ibuprofen is a weak acidic compound, and for every 3 units away from the pKa-value, the solubility changes 10-fold (Mahato, 2007:14). However, with regard to the skin permeation studies, enhanced permeation was obtained with the formulations prepared at pH 5. This was in accordance with Corrigan et al., (2003:148) who stated that NSAIDs are less soluble and more permeable at low pH values, and more soluble and less permeable at high pH values. This was most probably due to the fact that unionised species, although possessing a lower aqueous solubility than the ionised species, resulted in enhanced skin permeation due to being more lipid-soluble. Finally, stability tests on the different semi-solid formulations for a period of three months at different temperature and humidity conditions were conducted to determine product stability. The formulations were stored at 25 °C/60% RH (relative humidity), 30 °C/60% RH and 40 °C/75% RH. Stability tests included: mass variation, pH, zeta potential, droplet size, visual appearance, assay, and viscosity. No significant change was observed for mass variation, pH, zeta potential and droplet size over the three months for any of the different formulations stored at the different storage conditions. In addition, no significant change in colour was observed for the gel and emulgel formulations at pH 5 and 7.4 over the three months at all the storage conditions. However, it was observed that the formulations containing Pheroid™ showed a drastic change in colour at all the storage conditions. This might have been due to oxidation of certain components present in the Pheroid™ system. Consequently, further investigation is necessary to find the cause of the discolouration and a method to prevent it. The gel formulated at pH 5 depicted the formation of crystals. This might have been due to the fact that the solubility of ibuprofen was exceeded, leading to it precipitating from the formulation. A possible contributing factor to the varying assay values obtained during the study might have been due to non-homogenous sample withdrawal. On the other hand, no significant change was observed for the emulgel and Pheroid™ emulgel formulated at pH 5 and 7.4. The emulgel and Pheroid™ emulgel formulated at pH 5 depicted relative instability (according to the International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements For Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use, ICH) only at 40 °C/75% RH with a change in ibuprofen content of more than 5% (6.78 and 6.46%, respectively). The gel, emulgel and Pheroid™ emulgel at pH 7.4 exhibited the least variation in ibuprofen concentration at all of the storage conditions. This might indicate that the pH at which a semi-solid formulation is produced will have a direct influence on the stability of the product. No significant changes in viscosity (%RSD < 5) was observed for the gel and emulgel formulated at pH 7.4 and stored at 25 °C/60% RH. The remaining formulations at all of the specified storage conditions exhibited a significant change in viscosity (%RSD > 5) with a decrease in viscosity being more pronounced at the higher temperature and humidity storage conditions. A possible contributing factor to the change in viscosity over three months at the specified storage conditions might have been due to the use of Pluronic® F-127 (viscosity enhancer). This viscosity enhancer possesses a melting point of approximately 56 °C (BAST Corporation. s.a). The problem with this might have been the temperature (70 °C) at which the formulations were prepared. The higher preparation temperature might have caused the Pluronic® F-127 to degrade, thereby losing its ability to function appropriately. A balance must be maintained between optimum solubility and maximum stability (Pefile & Smith, 1997:148). Despite the lower skin permeation of the gel formulated at pH 7.4, this formulation performed the best, as it was considered stable (least variation during the 3 month stability test) and the obtained tape stripping results showed that this formulation depicted the highest ibuprofen concentrations in the stratum corneum and epidermis. Thus, topical as well as transdermal delivery were obtained. / Thesis (MSc (Pharmaceutics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory joint disease associated with high levels of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) in synovial fluid and synovial tissue (Saxne et al., 1989). Thalidomide is a proven inhibitor of the biological synthesis of TNF-a (Sampaio et al., 1991) and is believed to rely on this action for its suppression of the wasting of tissue which accompanies RA. Oral administration of thalidomide has proven to be effective in RA, but unacceptable side effects are easily provoked (Gutierrez-Rodriguez, 1984). Administration of thalidomide via the dermal route can down-regulate TNF-a production in and around the affected joint, and this without raising the systemic blood level to a problematical level. Based on thalidomide's physicochemical properties, it is unlikely that it can be delivered percutaneously at a dose required for RA. Therefore, we have embraced the idea of using N-alkyl analogues of thalidomide. The most important feature that an analogue of this compound might contribute is decreased crystallinity and increased lipophilicity. Ordinarily both these parameters should favour percutaneous delivery. The current study was primarily aimed at exploring the feasibility of percutaneous delivery of thalidomide and subsequently, three of its odd chain IV-alkyl analogues (methyl, propyl and pentyl) via physicochemical characterization and assessment of their innate abilities to diffuse through skin as an initial step towards developing a topical dosage form for the best compound. The biological activities, more specifically their potential to inhibit the production of TNF-a was determined for thalidomide and its N-alkyl analogues. In order to achieve the objectives, the study was undertaken by synthesizing and determining the physicochemical parameters of thalidomide and its N-alkyl analogues. A high level of crystallinity is expressed in the form of a high melting point and heat of fusion. This limits solubility itself, and thus also sets a limit on mass transfer across the skin. Generally, the greater a drug's innate tendency to dissolve, the more likely it is that the drug can be delivered at an appropriate rate across the skin (Ostrenga et al., 1971). Therefore, the melting points and heats of fusion were determined by differential scanning calorimetry. Aqueous solubility and the partition coefficient (relative solubility) are major determinants of a drug's dissolution, distribution and availability. N-octanollwater partition coefficients were determined at pH 6.4. Solubilities in water, a series of n-alcohols and mixed solvents were obtained, as well as the solubility parameters of the compounds in study. Secondly, in vitro permeation studies were performed from these solvents and vehicles using vertical Franz diffusion cells with human epidermal membranes. Thirdly, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) inhibition activities were assessed for thalidomide and its N-alkyl analogues. By adding a methyl group to the thalidomide structure, the melting point drops by over 100°C and, in this particular instance upon increasing the alkyl chain length to five -CH2- units the melting points decrease linearly. Heats of fusion decreased dramatically upon thalidomide's alkylation as well. Methylation of the thalidomide molecule enhanced the aqueous solubility 6-fold, but as the alkyl chain length is further extended from methyl to pentyl, the aqueous solubility decreased exponentially. The destabilization of the crystalline structure with increasing alkyl chain length led to an increase in lipophilicity and consequently an increase in solubility in nonpolar media. Log partition coefficients increased linearly with increasing alkyl chain length. Solubilities in a series of n-alcohols, methanol through dodecanol, were found to be in the order of pentyl > propyl > methyl > thalidomide. The N-alkyl analogues have more favourable physicochemical properties than thalidomide to be delivered percutaneously. The in vitro skin permeation data proved that the analogues can be delivered far easier than thalidomide itself. N-methyl thalidomide showed the highest steady-state flux through human skin from water, n-alcohols and combination vehicles. Thalidomide and its N-alkyl analogues were all active as TNF-a inhibitors. Finally, active as a TNF-a inhibitor, N-methyl thalidomide is the most promising candidate to be delivered percutaneously for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, of those studied. / Thesis (PhD (Pharmaceutics))--PU for CHE, 1999.