Trends in Pharmaceuticals and Nanotechnology (e-ISSN: 2582-4457)

Nasopulmonary Drug Delivery Systems: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The management of complex respiratory and systemic disorders continues to pose significant challenges in modern pharmacotherapy. Conventional drug administration routes, particularly oral and intravenous delivery, are often limited by poor bioavailability, extensive first-pass metabolism, systemic adverse effects, and enzymatic degradation. In response to these limitations, nasopulmonary drug delivery has emerged as an innovative, non-invasive, and versatile approach for both localized and systemic therapy. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the anatomical, physiological, and formulation-related principles governing effective drug deposition and absorption through the nasal cavity and deep pulmonary regions. The integration of nasal and pulmonary delivery pathways offers important therapeutic advantages. Nasal administration enables rapid local treatment of upper respiratory disorders and provides an alternative route for systemic absorption, while pulmonary delivery facilitates targeted therapy for diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, and lung cancer. The extensive vascularization, large surface area, and thin alveolar membrane further support rapid systemic absorption of therapeutic agents. The review critically examines major biological barriers that restrict the efficiency of inhalation-based therapies, including mucociliary clearance, enzymatic degradation, limited epithelial permeability, and phagocytic activity of alveolar macrophages. Recent advances in pharmaceutical formulation technologies are also discussed, with particular emphasis on polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanoemulsions, and dry powder inhaler systems. These advanced formulations are designed to improve drug stability, prolong mucosal residence, enhance membrane permeation, and reduce biological clearance. Furthermore, the importance of particle engineering is highlighted, particularly the optimization of aerodynamic diameter, surface charge, morphology, and surface modification to achieve reproducible and site-specific deposition. Modern delivery devices, including pressurized metered-dose inhalers, nebulizers, and advanced nasal spray systems, are also evaluated for their role in improving therapeutic performance and patient compliance. Finally, the review addresses regulatory considerations, industrial scale-up challenges, and the toxicological safety of novel polymeric and lipid-based excipients. Overall, nasopulmonary drug delivery represents a promising platform for the targeted administration of conventional drugs and complex biopharmaceuticals, including peptides, proteins, monoclonal antibodies, and nucleic acid therapeutics. This review provides a holistic perspective on emerging strategies that may facilitate the translation of advanced inhalation technologies from laboratory research to clinically effective and commercially viable therapeutic applications.

Hydrophilic Matrix Sustained Release Tablet of Paracetamol: A Review on Formulation, Evaluation and Drug Release Characteristics

Amaan Ali, Jyoti Saxena — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Paracetamol is a commonly used analgesic and antipyretic agent; however, its relatively short biological half-life may necessitate repeated administration to maintain the desired therapeutic effect. Sustained-release formulations have therefore attracted considerable interest as a means of extending drug action and reducing the frequency of dosing. Among the different approaches available for modified drug delivery, hydrophilic matrix tablets have been widely investigated because they are comparatively simple to formulate, economical, and suitable for conventional tablet manufacturing processes. Hydrophilic matrix systems generally contain polymers that interact with gastrointestinal fluids and form a hydrated polymeric layer around the tablet. This hydrated matrix can regulate the penetration of the dissolution medium and the movement of the drug from the dosage form. Polymers such as hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), xanthan gum, sodium alginate, guar gum, and chitosan have been investigated for controlling drug release. The release behavior of the incorporated drug depends on several formulation variables, including polymer concentration, polymer characteristics, drug-to-polymer ratio, and the composition of the tablet matrix. The present review discusses the basic principles of sustained-release drug delivery, the role of hydrophilic polymers in matrix systems, formulation and manufacturing approaches, and important pre-compression and post-compression evaluation parameters. Particular attention is given to the preparation and evaluation of hydrophilic matrix tablets containing paracetamol and the mechanisms involved in controlling their release. The review also considers the potential advantages and formulation challenges associated with hydrophilic matrix systems. Such systems provide a practical approach for developing oral dosage forms capable of extending drug release and potentially improving dosing convenience and patient compliance.

Nanoemulsion–Based Nail Lacquer of Clotrimazole for Enhanced Transungual Delivery: Formulation, Characterization, and Antifungal Activity–A Review

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Onychomycosis is an infection of the nail, which is difficult to treat because of the slightly keratinized structure of the nail plate, which slows drug penetration. Conventional topical formulations have reduced therapeutic efficiency, and antifungal therapies exhibit poor trans ungual permeation. This study focuses on the development of a nano-emulsion-based nail lacquer containing clotrimazole to enrich antifungal activity and enhance drug delivery to the nail plate. Clotrimazole is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent with low aqueous solubility; it is incorporated into a nano-emulsion system with suitable surfactants, co-solvents, and film-forming polymers. In this nano-emulsion, physicochemical characteristics were evaluated, such as droplet size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, pH, viscosity, drug content and stability. The prepared nail lacquer shows a uniform appearance, good film-forming ability, better adhesion, and prolonged residence time on the nail surface. Trans-ungual delivery is improved by enhancing drug permeation and sustained release characteristics. Due to potential drug penetration and retention within the nail matrix, antifungal studies show greater inhibition of fungal growth when compared to conventional topical formulations. Overall, findings support that nano-emulsion-based clotrimazole nail lacquer is a successful and effective drug delivery method for treatment of onychomycosis with enhanced patient compliance and therapeutic efficacy.

Echoes of Early Trauma: Mechanistic Pathways of Accelerated Brain Aging

Ayush Gandhi, Nirmal Kaur, Naman Garg, Ramanpreet Singh — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Over time, chronological age becomes an increasingly unreliable indicator of a person's spiritual well-being. The BAG, or Brain Age Gap, is now well-known. It displays the difference between your actual age and the age that AI believes you are. What this has revealed is that the world is experiencing a hidden and rapidly increasing epidemic of aging. The "biological embedding" of Early Life Adversity (ELA) acts as a developmental precursor, making the neural landscape vulnerable to the acute allostatic shocks caused by modern factors like COVID-19 and Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS), according to this review's comprehensive "Double-Hit" hypothesis. At the molecular core of this decline, they identify the HMGB1/RAGE/NLRP3 axis as a pathological "tripwire"—a molecular firestorm that turns environmental instability into the corporeal "theft of presence" via pyroptosis and synaptic degeneration. Examine the remarkable realms of Quantum Decoherence and Bio-Electric Morphostasis, surpassing traditional biochemistry. They assert that the accelerated brain is fundamentally lacking in informational and fluid-crystalline coherence. Pharmaceutical targeting of the inflammasome and the utilisation of senolytics provide a method to "rewind" the biological clock. But they think that the most important goal of Precision Deceleration is a holy one: to protect the "Self" and keep human connections alive. By learning to control the quantum, electrical, and molecular rhythms of aging, they not only live longer but also protect the soul's sanctity and the brilliance of human memory from the decay that is about to happen.