Pulmonary fibrosis, a disabling lung disease, results from the fibrotic transformation of lung tissue. This fibrotic transformation leads to a deterioration of lung capacity, resulting in significant respiratory distress and a reduction in overall quality of life. Currently, the frontline treatment of pulmonary fibrosis remains limited, focusing primarily on symptom relief and slowing disease progression. Bacterial infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa are contributing to a severe progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Phytic acid, a natural chelator of zinc, which is essential for the activation of metalloproteinase enzymes involved in pulmonary fibrosis, shows potential inhibition of LasB, a virulence factor in P. aeruginosa, and mammalian metalloproteases (MMPs). In addition, phytic acid has anti-inflammatory properties believed to result from its ability to capture free radicals, inhibit certain inflammatory enzymes and proteins, and reduce the production of inflammatory cytokines, key signaling molecules that promote inflammation. To achieve higher local concentrations in the deep lung, phytic acid was spray dried into an inhalable powder. Challenges due to its hygroscopic and low melting (25 °C) nature were mitigated by converting it to sodium phytate to improve crystallinity and powder characteristics. The addition of leucine improved aerodynamic properties and reduced agglomeration, while mannitol served as carrier matrix. Size variation was achieved by modifying process parameters and were evaluated by tools such as the Next Generation Impactor (NGI), light diffraction methods, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). An inhibition assay for human MMP-1 (collagenase-1) and MMP-2 (gelatinase A) allowed estimation of the biological effect on tissue remodeling enzymes. The activity was also assessed with respect to inhibition of bacterial LasB. The formulated phytic acid demonstrated an IC50 of 109.7 µg/mL for LasB with viabilities > 80 % up to 188 µg/mL on A549 cells. Therefore, inhalation therapy with phytic acid-based powder shows promise as a treatment for early-stage Pseudomonas-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Micro- and nano-encapsulation techniques, such as microfluidization, spray drying, and centrifugal extrusion, have been widely utilized in various industries, including pharmaceuticals, food, cosmetics, and agriculture, to improve the stability, shelf life, and bioavailability of active ingredients, such as vitamin A. Emulsion-based delivery platforms offer feasible and appropriate alternatives for safeguarding, encapsulating, and transporting bioactive compounds. Therefore, there is a need to enrich our basic diet to prevent vitamin A deficiency within a population. This review focused on addressing vitamin A shortages, encapsulation techniques for improving the delivery of vital vitamins A and their food applications. Additionally, more studies are required to guarantee the security of nano-delivery strategies, as they proliferate in the food and beverage sector.
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Alyssum homolocarpum seed gum (AHSG) and sodium alginate (SA) were utilized as wall materials for the microencapsulation of Echinacea purpurea extract via spray drying. Furthermore, effect of microcapsules on the oxidative stability of camelina oil was assessed over a 30-day storage period. The results showed that with an increase in AHSG concentration, the particle size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential of emulsions decreased, while their viscosity, and stability increased. Microcapsules prepared with AHSG alone exhibited the highest encapsulation efficiency (90.70 %), loading efficiency (40.70 %), and water solubility (88.47 %), but the lowest moisture content (1.45 %), water activity (0.31), wettability (198 s), and hygroscopicity (13.50 g/100 g). Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed a spherical and smooth surface for AHSG alone-based microcapsules. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis indicated that certain chemical interactions occurred between the E. purpurea extract and wall materials. By incorporating AHSG/SA-based microcapsules containing E. purpurea extract into camelina oil, the peroxide value (increasing from 1.79 to 5.12 meq∙O2/kg) and anisidine value (increasing from 1.63 to 7.09) were maintained during the 30-day storage period. In conclusion, the microcapsules prepared with AHSG alone showed significant potential for encapsulating E. purpurea extract and subsequently enhancing oxidative stability of camelina oil, comparable to TBHQ.

The present study investigated the effect of different polymers and manufacturing methods (hot melt extrusion, HME, and spray drying, SD) on the solid state, stability and pharmaceutical performance of amorphous solid dispersions. In the present manuscript, a combination of different binary amorphous solid dispersions containing 20% and 30% of drug loadings were prepared using SD and HME. The developed solid-state properties of the dispersions were evaluated using small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and modulated differential scanning calorimetry (mDSC). The molecular interaction between the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and polymers were investigated via infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopy. The in vitro release profile of the solid dispersions was also evaluated to compare the rate and extend of drug dissolution as a function of method of preparation. Thereafter, the effect of accelerated stability conditions on the physicochemical properties of the solid dispersions were also evaluated. The results demonstrated higher stability of Soluplus® (SOL) polymer-based solid dispersions as compared to hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC)-based solid dispersions. Moreover, the stability of the solid dispersions was found to be higher in the case of API having high glass transition temperature (Tg) and demonstrated higher interaction with the polymeric groups. Interestingly, the stability of the melt-extruded dispersions was found to be slightly higher as compared to the SD formulations. However, the down-processing of melt-extruded strands plays critical role in inducing the API crystal nuclei formation. In summary, the findings strongly indicate that the particulate properties significantly influence the performance of the product.

The rapid increase in the production of powdered milk-tea blends is driven by a growing awareness of the presence of highly nutritious bioactive compounds and consumer demand for convenient beverages. However, the lack of literature on the impact of heat-induced component interactions during processing hinders the production of high-quality milk-tea powders. The production process of milk-tea powder blends includes the key steps of pasteurization, evaporation, and spray drying. Controlling heat-induced interactions, such as protein-protein, protein-carbohydrate, protein-polyphenol, carbohydrate-polyphenol, and carbohydrate-polyphenol, during pasteurization, concentration, and evaporation is essential for producing a high-quality milk-tea powder with favorable physical, structural, rheological, sensory, and nutritional qualities. Adjusting production parameters, such as the type and the composition of ingredients, processing methods, and processing conditions, is a great way to modify these interactions between components in the formulation, and thereby, provide improved properties and storage stability for the final product. Therefore, this review comprehensively discusses how molecular-level interactions among proteins, carbohydrates, and polyphenols are affected by various unit operations during the production of milk-tea powders.

Nasal systemic drug delivery may provide an easy way to substitute parenteral or oral dosing, however, the excipients have an important role in nasal formulations to increase the permeability of the mucosa and prolong the residence time of the drug. In this work, we aimed to produce meloxicam potassium monohydrate (MXP) containing nasal powders by a nano spray drier with the use of a neutral, an anionic and a cationic β-cyclodextrin as permeation enhancers, and (polyvinyl)alcohol (PVA) as a water soluble polymer. The following examinations were performed in order to study the effect of the applied excipients on the nasal applicability of the formulations: laser scattering, scanning electron microscope measurement, XRPD, DSC and FTIR measurements, adhesivity, in vitro drug release and permeability tests through an artificial membrane and RPMI 2650 cells. Based on our results, spherical particles were prepared with a size of 1.89-2.21 µm in which MXP was present in an amorphous state. Secondary interactions were formed between the excipients and the drug. The charged cyclodextrin-based formulations showed significantly higher adhesive force values regardless of the presence of PVA. The drug release was fast and complete. The passive diffusion of MXP was influenced not only by the charge of the cyclodextrin, but the presence of PVA, too. The permeation of the drug was enhanced in the presence of the anionic cyclodextrin testing it on RPMI 2650 cell model.

This study investigated spray drying a method for microencapsulating Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG using a gastrointestinal resistant composite matrix. An encapsulate composite matrix comprising green banana flour (GBF) blended with maltodextrin (MD) and gum arabic (GA). The morphology of resulted microcapsules revealed a near-spherical shape with slight dents and no surface cracks. Encapsulation efficiency and product yield varied significantly among the spray-dried microencapsulated probiotic powder samples (SMPPs). The formulation with the highest GBF concentration (FIV) exhibited maximum post-drying L. rhamnosus GG viability (12.57 ± 0.03 CFU/g) and best survivability during simulated gastrointestinal digestion (9.37 ± 0.05 CFU/g). Additionally, glass transition temperature (Tg) analysis indicated good thermal stability of SMPPs (69.3 - 92.9 ℃), while Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed the structural integrity of functional groups within microcapsules. The SMPPs characterization also revealed significant variation in moisture content, water activity, viscosity, and particle size. Moreover, SMPPs exhibited differences in total phenolic and flavonoid, along with antioxidant activity and color values throughout the study. These results suggested that increasing GBF concentration within the encapsulating matrix, while reducing the amount of other composite materials, may offer enhanced protection to L. rhamnosus GG during simulated gastrointestinal conditions, likely due to the gastrointestinal resistance properties of GBF.

Extracellular vesicles are nanosized lipid-bilayered spheres secreted from every living cell and they serve physiological and pathophysiological functions. Bacterial membrane vesicles are shed from both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and harbor many virulence factors, nuclear material, polysaccharides, proteins, and antigenic determinants, which are essential for immune recognition and evasion. Hence, bacterial membrane vesicles are very promising vaccine candidates. Spray drying is a well-established pharmaceutical technique to produce inhalable dry powders with enhanced stability for formulations of vaccines. In this chapter, we illustrate general guidelines for spray drying of bacterial extracellular vesicles to improve their stability without compromising their immunogenic protective effect. We discuss some of the most important experiments to characterize the generated spray-dried bacterial membrane vesicle powder vaccine.

Spray drying is an important industrial method for the preparation of B. thuringiensis powder from fermentation liquor. The effect of spray drying on the crystal proteins, however, has not been reported in the literature so far. The present study systematically investigated the effect of inlet air temperature, outlet air temperature, atomizing air pressure and additives (including organic and inorganic auxiliaries) on the thermal destruction of crystal proteins of B. thuringiensis. The results indicated that the content of crystal proteins of B. thuringiensis powder decreased with increased inlet air temperature, outlet air temperature and atomising air pressure. The pseudo-z values for inlet air temperature, outlet air temperature and atomizing air pressure were 826.4 ℃, 204.0 ℃ and 4.74 MPa, respectively. Among them, the outlet air temperature was a major parameter influencing the thermal destruction of crystal proteins, therefore, the decrease of the outlet air temperature was beneficial to increase the protein content in powder. Although the spray drying had an adverse effect on crystal proteins, the crystal protein content in spray-dried powder approached that in freeze-dried powder when the inlet air temperature of 165 ℃, outlet air temperature of 70 ℃ and atomizing air pressure of 0.15 MPa were employed. The addition of some organic and inorganic auxiliaries to fermentation liquor can protect the crystal proteins from heat damage.

The study investigated the impact of Lonicera caerulea L. juice matrix modification and drying techniques on powder characteristics. The evaluation encompassed phenolics (514.7-4388.7 mg/100 g dry matter), iridoids (up to 337.5 mg/100 g dry matter), antioxidant and antiglycation capacity, as well as anti-ageing properties of powders produced using maltodextrin, inulin, trehalose, and palatinose with a pioneering role as a carrier. Spray drying proved to be competitive with freeze drying for powder quality. Carrier application influenced the fruit powder properties. Trehalose protected the phenolics in the juice extract products, whereas maltodextrin showed protective effect in the juice powders. The concentrations of iridoids were influenced by the matrix type and drying technique. Antiglycation capacity was more affected by the carrier type in juice powders than in extract products. However, with carrier addition, the latter showed approximately 12-fold higher selectivity for acetylcholinesterase than other samples. Understanding the interplay between matrix composition, drying techniques, and powder properties provides insights for the development of plant-based products with tailored attributes, including potential health-linked properties.