Preparation and characterization of cyclodextrin complexes of doxycycline hyclate for improved photostability in aqueous solution

Doxycycline hyclate is Biopharmaceutical Classification System, class I drug (high solubility and high permeability), but it is associated with poor photostability. It is in the class of tetracycline antibiotic, which is used to treat various infections, but its bioavailability is compromised due to its sensitivity to light and aqueous instability. In this paper, the influence of inclusion complexation with different cyclodextrins, i.e., αCD, γCD, HPβCD and RMβCD, on the photostability of doxycycline hyclate in aqueous media was investigated. Host–guest inclusion complexes were prepared by freeze- drying method. The prepared complexes were characterized for drug content, SEM, XRPD, in vitro permeation studies and photostability studies. XRPD showed diffused peaks for most of the complexes, while SEM showed irregularly shaped particles. The formulation D20 (Drug: γCD in 1:20 molar ratio) showed the highest % drug content (83.72?±?1.2%), and the formulations D1 (Drug: αCD in 1: 2 molar ratio) showed the lowest % drug content among all the CD complexes. It was found that the photodegradation of the drug was reduced significantly upon complexation. For Drug: CD complexes, the photostability of the aqueous solution of drug/CD complexes was found to be in the order of γCD?>?RMβCD?>?HPβCD?>?αCD with maximum photostability shown by Drug: γCD (1:20 molar ratio) complex. The obtained results suggested that cyclodextrin complexation can be used as an alternative approach for increasing the photostability of doxycycline hyclate.

     

Thickness and in-plane elasticity of graphane

The thickness and in-plane mechanical properties (Young?s, shear modulus, Poisson?s ratios) of fully hydrogenated graphene (graphane) sheets are predicted using a molecular mechanics approach. The equilibrium lengths and bond angles distortions used for the graphane models are obtained from Density Functional Theory (DFT) simulations. Our models compare well with existing data on the uniaxial properties of graphane and graphene sheets from first principle and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations, highlight a special orthotropic mechanical behaviour for graphane, and identify thickness and shear stiffness values which are peculiar of hydrogenated graphene.     

Interfacial Properties of Flexible and Semiflexible Polymers

Using a continuous space rod‐bead model and an off‐lattice Monte Carlo technique we investigate interfacial properties between two incompatible polymers of different stiffnesses. The interfacial tension is determined by using virial theorem and analyzing the spectrum of capillary waves. Detailed interfacial profiles for segment and chain densities and orientations are obtained. The simulation results agree with mean field approaches for not too large stiffness disparities and show a marked tendency towards a plateau at higher stiffness disparities where the differences to mean field approaches increase.     

Reaction kinetics of hydrated electrons in a quaternary micro emulsion system: A pulse radiolysis study

The pulse-radiolysis technique has been employed to produce and study the kinetics of hydrated electrons (e_aq⁻) in a quaternary micro emulsion (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (NaLS)/water/cyclohexane/1-pentanol) system. Two orders of magnitude higher life time (20 μs) of the e_aq⁻ has been obtained as compared to that in reverse micelles reported earlier. Several probes including a biomolecule have been used to determine the water pool concentrations and quenching constants (k_q). The observed yield and half life (t_1/2) of the hydrated electrons vary smoothly as the water droplet sizes are changed. The bimolecular rate constants for the reaction of e_aq⁻ with different solutes have been determined. It has been observed that the measured bimolecular rate constants for the reaction of hydrated electrons with different solutes are indicative of the solubilization sites, the water core sizes, and the surrounding environment. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet: 30: 699–705, 1998     

Toughness Enhancement of Nanostructured Amorphous and Semicrystalline Polymers

An overview is given of different micromechanical deformation processes leading to an enhancement of toughness in heterophase polymers. The well-known mechanism of rubber or particle toughening of semicrystalline polymers was studied in HDPE and PP blends. In particular, the micromechanical processes in the semicrystalline polymer strands between modifier particles were investigated in detail, revealing processes of separation, yielding, breaking and twisting of lamellae. These processes are compared with lamellae forming amorphous SBS block copolymers with alternating soft (polybutadiene) and hard (polystyrene) layers. Depending on the deformation direction, the mechanism of thin layer yielding or chevron formation appears. In both polymeric systems, the initial stage of deformation is characterized by a plastic yielding of the soft phase with a reorganization of the hard (glassy or crystalline) lamellae. The second stage is determined by the alignment of the hard phase towards the deformation direction and the plastic yielding. Detailed comparison of these similar mechanisms in very different polymers with similar nanostructured morphology should help to improve toughening of amorphous as well as semicrystalline polymers.     

Diameter‐Dependence of the Morphology of PS‐b‐PMMA Nanorods Confined Within Ordered Porous Alumina Templates

Summary: Polystyrene‐block‐poly(methyl methacrylate) nanorods were prepared by wetting ordered porous alumina templates. We systematically investigated the diameter‐dependence of their morphologies by varying the pore diameters of the templates from 400 nm down to 25 nm. If the pore diameter exceeds the period of the block copolymer, the pores accommodate a non‐integer number of repeat periods. In case of smaller pores the occurrence of an ordered state could not be unambiguously verified.

TEM image of an ultra‐thin slice containing a cross‐section of a polystyrene‐block‐poly(methyl methacrylate) nanorod embedded in epoxy resin.