Ethanol changes Nestin-promoter induced neural stem cells to disturb newborn dendritic spine remodeling in the hippocampus of mice

Adolescent binge drinking leads to long-lasting disorders of the adult central nervous system,particularly aberrant hippocampal neurogenesis.In this study,we applied in vivo fluorescent tracing using NestinCreERT2::Rosa26-tdTomato mice and analyzed the endogenous neurogenesis lineage progression of neural stem cells(NSCs)and dendritic spine formation of newborn neurons in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus.We found abnormal orientation of tamoxifen-induced tdTomato+(tdTom^(+))NSCs in adult mice 2 months after treatment with EtOH(5.0 g/kg,i.p.)for 7 consecutive days.EtOH markedly inhibited tdTom^(+)NSCs activation and hippocampal neurogenesis in mouse dentate gyrus from adolescence to adulthood.EtOH(100 mM)also significantly inhibited the proliferation to 39.2%and differentiation of primary NSCs in vitro.Adult mice exposed to EtOH also exhibited marked inhibitions in dendritic spine growth and newborn neuron maturation in the dentate gyrus,which was partially reversed by voluntary running or inhibition of the mammalian target of rapamycinenhancer of zeste homolog 2 pathway.In vivo tracing revealed that EtOH induced abnormal orientation of tdTom+NSCs and spatial misposition defects of newborn neurons,thus causing the disturbance of hippocampal neurogenesis and dendritic spine remodeling in mice.

Fine-tuning the activation behaviors of ternary modular cabazitaxel prodrugs for efficient and on-target oral anti-cancer therapy

The disulfide bond plays a crucial role in the design of anti-tumor prodrugs due to its exceptional tumor-specific redox responsiveness. However, premature breaking of disulfide bonds is triggered by small amounts of reducing substances (e.g., ascorbic acid, glutathione, uric acid and tea polyphenols) in the systemic circulation. This may lead to toxicity, particularly in oral prodrugs that require more frequent and high-dose treatments. Fine-tuning the activation kinetics of these prodrugs is a promising prospect for more efficient on-target cancer therapies. In this study, disulfide, steric disulfide, and ester bonds were used to bridge cabazitaxel (CTX) to an intestinal lymph vessel-directed triglyceride (TG) module. Then, synthetic prodrugs were efficiently incorporated into self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (corn oil and Maisine CC were used as the oil phase and Cremophor EL as the surfactant). All three prodrugs had excellent gastric stability and intestinal permeability. The oral bioavailability of the disulfide bond-based prodrugs (CTX-(C)S-(C)S-TG and CTX-S-S-TG) was 11.5- and 19.1-fold higher than that of the CTX solution, respectively, demonstrating good oral delivery efficiency. However, the excessive reduction sensitivity of the disulfide bond resulted in lower plasma stability and safety of CTX-S-S-TG than that of CTX-(C)S-(C)S-TG. Moreover, introducing steric hindrance into disulfide bonds could also modulate drug release and cytotoxicity, significantly improving the anti-tumor activity even compared to that of intravenous CTX solution at half dosage while minimizing off-target adverse effects. Our findings provide insights into the design and fine-tuning of different disulfide bond-based linkers, which may help identify oral prodrugs with more potent therapeutic efficacy and safety for cancer therapy.

Investigation and analysis of vascular plant resources and diversity in Wuyi Mountain,Fujian Province

Wuyi Mountain,located in the north of Fujian Province,China,is renowned for its abundant medicinal plant resources.In July 2014,the 8th(second team)of Shenyang Pharmaceutical University’s Chinese Medicine Resources Scientific Expedition Team conducted field investigation in the area.Through specimen collection and extensive literature review,the team identified and analyzed 223 vascular plant species from 175 genera and 85 families.The most dominant families were Compositae and Rosaceae,and perennial herbs were the predominant species,accounting for 44.39%of the total species identified.Notably,we documented five precious and rare medicinal plants unique to Wuyi Mountain.This study updates the database of plant resources and diversity in the region,providing a valuable reference for future studies.Finally,we put forward some suggestions to enhance the conservation and sustainable utilization of Wuyi Mountain’s plant resources.

Small changes in the length of diselenide bond-containing linkages exert great influences on the antitumor activity of docetaxel homodimeric prodrug nanoassemblies

Homodimeric prodrug-based self-assembled nanoparticles,with carrier-free structure and ultrahigh drug loading,is drawing more and more attentions.Homodimeric prodrugs are composed of two drug molecules and a pivotal linkage.The influence of the linkages on the self-assembly,in vivo fate and antitumor activity of homodimeric prodrugs is the focus of research.Herein,three docetaxel(DTX)homodimeric prodrugs are developed using different lengths of diselenide bond-containing linkages.Interestingly,compared with the other two linkages,the longest diselenide bond-containing linkage could facilitate the self-delivery of DTX prodrugs,thus improving the stability,circulation time and tumor targeting of prodrug nanoassemblies.Besides,the extension of linkages reduces the redox-triggered drug release and cytotoxicity of prodrug nanoassemblies in tumor cells.Although the longest diselenide bond-containing prodrug nanoassemblies possessed the lowest cytotoxicity to 4T1 cells,their stable nanostructure maintained intact during circulation and achieve the maximum accumulation of DTX in tumor cells,which finally“turned the table”.Our study illustrates the crucial role of linkages in homodimeric prodrugs,and gives valuable proposal for the development of advanced nano-DDS for cancer treatment.

Development of a method to quantify total and free irinotecan and 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin(SN-38) for pharmacokinetic and bio-distribution studies after administration of irinotecan liposomal formulation

In 2015,liposomal formulation of irinotecan(ONIVYDE)has been approved by FDA and widely applied in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.ONIVYDE is a novel liposome formulation,entrapping CPT-11 in the aqueous core of vesicles using a modified gradient loading method.Due to toxicity concerns,it is essential to explore a rapid and reliable method to effectively isolate and quantify the non-liposomal,namely,free CPT-11and total CPT-11 in plasma.This study focuses on separation of non-liposomal CPT-11,evaluation of the pharmacokinetics of free CPT-11 and total CPT-11 and bio-distribution after intravenous administration of CPT-11 liposome.Free CPT-11 in plasma was separated by solid-phase extraction(SPE).The amount of total CPT-11 and main metabolite 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin(SN-38)in plasma was quantified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography–MS/MS.The calibration curves fitted well and lower limit of quantitation for SN-38,free CPT-11,total CPT-11 and CPT-11 in tissue and were 5 ng/ml,10 ng/ml,4.44 ng/ml and 25 ng/ml respectively.The recoveries,precision and accuracy of the method appear satisfactory.Using this method,the pharmacokinetics and bio-distribution of CPT-11 liposome formulation after an intravenous dose of 2.5 mg/kg were then investigated.

A donepezil/cyclodextrin complexation orodispersible film: Effect of cyclodextrin on taste-masking based on dynamic process and in vivo drug absorption

The aim of this study was to develop a palatable donepezil(DP) orodispersible film(ODF)to facilitate the swallowing process and investigate the effect of cyclodextrin on tastemasking based on dynamic process and in vivo drug absorption. Complexation of DP with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin(HP-β-CD) was applied to mask the bitter taste then the prepared complexes were incorporated into ODF using solvent casting method. The tastemasking efficiency was evaluated by e-tongue; meanwhile the pharmacokinetic behavior of DP/HP-β-CD ODF was investigated by in vivo study. Results showed the optimized film was more palatable than donepezil hydrochloride(DH) film and was bioequivalent with DH. The molecular mechanism was revealed by phase solubility study, Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer(FT-IR), Differential scanning calorimeter(DSC), X-ray diffraction(XRD) and molecular modeling. Taste-masking was attributed to the formation of DP/HP-β-CD which was due to moderate interaction between DP and HP-β-CD. The stability of DP/HP-β-CD was decreased because of the acid environment in stomach, which facilitated the absorption of DP. These results extended our understanding about the application of cyclodextrin complexation and provided guidance for the design of ODF especially for drugs with disgusting taste.

Ratiometric delivery of doxorubicin and berberine by liposome enables superior therapeutic index than Doxil?

Although the appearance of Doxil alleviated the cardiotoxicity of DOX, the progression-free survival of patients was not prolonged compared with traditional medication regimens, and side effects such as hand-foot syndrome has occurred. In order to solve this dilemma, we have designed a novel co-delivery strategy to construct a co-loaded liposome of berberine(BER) and doxorubicin(DOX), which was called Lipo Be Do. The optimal synergistic ratio of the two drugs was screened by cell cytotoxicity experiments in vitro, and the optimal attenuation ratio was further determined by in vivo cardiac H&E staining pathological sections. The optimal combination treatment caused a robust increase in apoptotic cells of 4T1, as compared to drug alone treatment. The prepared co-loaded liposome, Lipo Be Do, had high encapsulation efficiency and good stability. The nanoliposome carrier controlled the biological fate of the drugs and maintained a pre-defined optimal ratio in vivo. The Lipo Be Do significantly inhibited tumor growth in 4T1 murine mammary carcinoma model compared with Doxil(P < 0.05), and completely overcame the myocardial rupture toxicity caused by Doxil in mice. Our co-loaded liposome delivery platform technology provided a new direction for the clinical treatment of triple-negative breast cancer and the safe application of DOX.

Exploring the relationship of hyaluronic acid molecular weight and active targeting efficiency for designing hyaluronic acid-modified nanoparticles

Although it is reported that the targeting ability of hyaluronic acid(HA)-based nanoparticles(NPs) is molecular weight(MW) dependent,the influence of HA MW on targeting efficiency of HA-functionalized NPs and the underlying mechanism remain elusive. In this study,we constituted three HA-functionalized Dox-loaded NPs(Dox/HCVs) different HA MWs(7,63,and 102 k Da) and attempted to illustrate the effects of HA MW on the targeting efficiency.The three Dox/HCVs had similar physiochemical and pharmaceutical characteristics,but showed different affinity to CD44 receptor. Furthermore,Dox/HCV-63 exerted the best targeting effect and the highest cytotoxicity compared with Dox/HCV-7 and Dox/HCV-102. It was interesting to found that both the HA-CD44 binding affinity and induced CD44 clustering by HA-based NPs were HA MW-dependent,the two of which determine the apparent targeting efficacy of Dox/HCV NPs in the conflicting directions. Those results laid a good foundation for rationally designing HA-based NPs in cancer therapy.

Insight into the preformed albumin corona on in vitro and in vivo performances of albumin-selective nanoparticles

Preformed albumin corona of albumin-nonselective nanoparticles(NPs)is widely exploited to inhibit the unavoidable protein adsorption upon intravenous administration.However,very few studies have concerned the preformed albumin corona of albumin-selective NPs.Herein,we report a novel type of albumin-selective NPs by decorating 6-maleimidocaproyl polyethylene glycol stearate(SA)onto PLGA NPs(SP NPs)surface,taking albuminnonselective PLGA NPs as control.PLGA NPs and SP NPs were prepared by emulsion-solvent evaporation method and the resultant NPs were in spherical shape with an average diameter around 180 nm.The corresponding albumin-coating PLGA NPs(PLGA@BSA NPs)and albumin-coating SP NPs(SP@BSA NPs)were formulated by incubating SP NPs or PLGA NPs with bovine serum albumin solution,respectively.The impact of albumin corona on particle characteristics,stability,photothermal effect,cytotoxicity,cell uptake,spheroid penetration and pharmacokinetics was investigated.In line with previous findings of preformed albumin coating,PLGA@BSA NPs exhibited higher stability,cytotoxicity,cell internalization and spheroid penetration performances in vitro,and longer blood circulation time in vivo than those of albumin-nonselective PLGA NPs,but albumin-selective SP NPs is capable of achieving a comparable in vitro and in vivo performances with both SP@BSA NPs and PLGA@BSA NPs.Our results demonstrate that SA decorated albumin-selective NPs pave a versatile avenue for optimizing nanoparticulate delivery without preformed albumin corona.

Co-delivery of resveratrol and docetaxel via polymeric micelles to improve the treatment of drug-resistant tumors

Co-delivery of anti-cancer drugs is promising to improve the efficacy of cancer treatment.This study was aiming to investigate the potential of concurrent delivery of resveratrol(RES)and docetaxel(DTX)via polymeric nanocarriers to treat breast cancer.To this end,methoxyl poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(D,L-lactide)copolymer(mPEG-PDLA)was prepared and characterized using FTIR and 1H NMR,and their molecular weights were determined by GPC.Isobologram analysis and combination index calculation were performed to find the optimal ratio between RES and DTX to against human breast adenocarcinoma cell line(MCF-7 cells).Subsequently,RES and DTX were loaded in the mPEG-PDLA micelles simultaneously,and the morphology,particle size distribution,in vitro release,pharmacokinetic profiles,as well as cytotoxicity to the MCF-7 cells were characterized.IC50 of RES and DTX in MCF-7 cells were determined to be 23.0μg/ml and 10.4μg/ml,respectively,while a lower IC50 of 4.8μg/ml of the combination of RES and DTX was obtained.The combination of RES and DTX at a ratio of 1:1(w/w)generated stronger synergistic effect than other ratios in the MCF-7 cells.RES and DTX loaded mPEG-PDLA micelles exhibited prolonged release profiles,and enhanced cytotoxicity in vitro against MCF-7 cells.The AUC(0→t)of DTX and RES in mPEG-PDLA micelles after i.v.administration to rats were 3.0-fold and 1.6-fold higher than that of i.v.injections of the individual drugs.These findings indicated that the co-delivery of RES and DTX using mPEG-PDLA micelles could have better treatment of tumors.

Impact of the amount of PEG on prodrug nanoassemblies for efficient cancer therapy

PEGylation has been widely used to improve the pharmacokinetic properties of prodrug self-assembled nanoparticles(prodrug-SANPs).However,the impacts of the amount of PEG on the self-assemble stability,cellular uptake,pharmacokinetics,and antitumor efficacy of prodrug-SANPs are still unknown.Herein,selenoether bond bridged docetaxel dimeric prodrug was synthesized as the model prodrug.Five prodrug-SANPs were designed by using different mass ratios of prodrugs to PEG(W_(prodrug)/W_(DSPE-mPEG2000)=10:0,9:1,8:2,7:3 and 6:4),and defined as Pure drug NPs,9:1NPs,8:2NPs,7:3 NPs and 6:4 NPs,respectively.Interestingly,8:2 NPs formed the most compact nanostructure,thus improving the self-assemble stability and pharmacokinetics behavior.In addition,the difference of these prodrug-SANPs in cellular uptake was investigated,and the influence of PEG on cytotoxicity and antitumor efficacy was also clarified in details.The 8:2 NPs exhibited much better antitumor efficacy than other prodrug-SANPs and even commercial product.Our findings demonstrated the pivotal role of the amount of PEG on prodrug-SANPs.

Recent advances of biomimetic nano-systems in the diagnosis and treatment of tumor

The lack of effective methods of diagnosis and treatment presents a major barrier to combat against tumor.The biomimetic concept is an emerging field that expresses great application potential in tumor fighting.Strategy for combining nano-systems with biomimetic technology has gained increasing attention that is proved bioinspired,environmentally benign,and promising.Herein,we provide an up-to-date review of biomimetic nanosystems as well as their applications in tumor therapy.In addition,the challenges and future directions of biomimetic nano-systems to achieve clinical translation are also pointed out.

Co-amorphous solid dispersion systems of lacidipine-spironolactone with improved dissolution rate and enhanced physical stability

Co-amorphous solid dispersion(C-ASD)systems have attracted great attention to improve the solubility of poorly soluble drugs,but the selection of an appropriate stabilizer to stabilize amorphous forms is still a huge challenge.Herein,C-ASD system of two clinical combined used drugs(lacidipine(LCDP)and spironolactone(SPL))as stabilizers to each other,was prepared by solvent evaporation method.The effects of variation in molar ratio of LCDP and SPL(3:1,1:1,1:3,1:6,and 1:9)on the drug release characteristics were explored.Polarized light microscopy(PLM),powder X-ray diffraction(PXRD),differential scanning calorimetry(DSC)and thermogravimetric analysis(TGA)were employed to evaluate the solid states.Prepared C-ASDs were further studied for their stability under the high humidity(RH 92.5%).Further analysis of C-ASDs via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR)and Raman spectroscopy confirmed that hydrogen bond interactions between the two drugs played a significant role in maintaining the stability of the C-ASDs systems.Moreover,molecular dynamic(MD)simulations provided a clear insight into the stability mechanism at the molecular level.This study demonstrated the novel drug-drug C-ASDs systems is a promising formulation strategy for improved dissolution rate and enhanced physical stability of poorly soluble drugs.

Influence of solvent mixtures on HPMCAS-celecoxib microparticles prepared by electrospraying

Hypromellose acetate succinate(HPMCAS) microparticles containing the poorly-water soluble drug celecoxib(CEL) were prepared by electrospraying intended for oral drug delivery. Various solvent mixtures with different solubility for CEL and HPMCAS were used to induce changes in the polymer structural conformation of the microparticles. The performance of the prepared microparticles was evaluated by studying the solid state from, particle size and morphology, radial drug distribution and drug release. CEL was amorphous in all electrosprayed HPMCAS microparticles. The particle size and morphology was dependent on the solubility of HPMCAS in the solvent mixture used with poorer solvents resulting in smaller microparticles with rougher appearance. The CEL distribution on the particles surface was relatively homogeneous and similar for all microparticles. Drug release from the microparticles was observed at a higher rate depending on the solubility of HPMCAS in the solvent used for electrospraying, and in all cases an at least 4-fold higher rate was observed compared with the crystalline drug. Drug precipitation from the supersaturated solution was inhibited by HPMCAS for all microparticles based on its parachute effect while crystalline CEL did not reach supersaturation. This study demonstrated that electrospraying can be used to produce microparticles with tailored properties for pharmaceutical application by adjusting solvent selection.

In vitro/vivo assessment of praziquantel nanocrystals: Formulation, characterization, and pharmacokinetics in beagle dogs

To investigate the impact of particle size on in vitro/vivo performance of praziquantel(PZQ), nanocrystals(NCs) and microcrystals(MCs) of PZQ were prepared using the methods of wet milling and jet milling, respectively. PZQ NCs and MCs were characterized with dynamic light scattering, laser particle size analyzer, transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray powder diffraction and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The average diameters of PZQ NCs and MCs were 364.4 nm and 3.7 μm, respectively. No change in crystalline form was observed. Dissolution tests were performed in two different media, where the cumulative dissolution and dissolution rate of NCs were significantly improved in comparison with those of MCs and KANGQING~? in non-sink condition. Similarly, oral bioavailability of PZQ NCs in beagle dogs was 1.68( P < 0.05) and 1.83 fold( P < 0.01) higher than that of MCs and KANGQING~? . Considering the advantages of in vitro/vivo performance and facile preparation, PZQ NCs may have a great application in the treatment of schistosomiasis.

Cooperative effect of polyvinylpyrrolidone and HPMC E5 on dissolution and bioavailability of nimodipine solid dispersions and tablets

Solid dispersion(SD)systems have been extensively used to increase the dissolution and bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs.To circumvent the limitations of polyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP)dispersions,HPMC E5 was applied in the formulation process and scaling-up techniques,simultaneously.In this study,SD of nimodipine(NMP)and corresponding tablets were prepared through solvent method and fluid bed granulating one step technique,respectively.Discriminatory dissolution media were used to obtain reliable dissolution results.Meanwhile,the stability study of SDs was investigated with storage under high temperature and humidity conditions.Moreover,the solubility of SDs was measured to explore the effect of carriers.The preparations were characterized by DSC,PXRD,and FTIR.Dramatical improvements in the dissolution rate of NMP were achieved by the ingenious combination of the two polymers.Binary NMP/PVP/HPMC-SDs released steadily,while the dissolution of single NMP/PVP-SDs decreased rapidly in water.The fluid-bed tablets(FB-T)possessed a similar dissolution behavior to the commercial Nimotop TM tablets.The characterization patterns implied that NMP existed in an amorphous state in our SDs.Furthermore,the results of stability tests suggested a better stability of the binary SDs.A special cooperative effect of PVP and HPMC was discovered on dissolution characteristics of NMP SDs and tablets,which could be extended to other drugs henceforth.Finally,the bioavailability of FB-T was evaluated in beagle dogs with Nimotop TM as the reference,and the results showed a higher AUC 0–12h value for FB-T.

A novel fixed-combination timolol-netarsudillatanoprost ophthalmic solution for the treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension

Currently commercial fixed-concomitant three agents have multiple problems such as multiple dosing administration,poor efficacy and side effects.Once-daily fixed-combination timolol-netarsudil-latanoprost ophthalmic solution(FC-TNL)has the ability to treat glaucoma by lowering the intraocular pressure(IOP)with great efficacy and improving patient compliance.However,the commercialized netarsudil dimesylate precipitated when the p H of the solution was above 5.4,or when maleic acid,the salt of commercial timolol maleate,was mixed with netarsudil dimesylate.Consequently,the homologous salt engineering strategy was used to make netarsudil dimesylate soluble in p H 4.8–5.2 solution by synthesizing timolol mesylate.Next,the morphology of timolol mesylate was observed by scanning electron microscopy,differential scanning calorimetry,thermogravimetric analysis,and powder X-ray diffraction.The prepared FC-TNL showed good stability during refrigeration storage.Additionally,FC-TNL exerted no influence on the intraocular penetration of each active compounds in the pharmacokinetic study.Importantly,oncedaily FC-TNL exerted potent IOP-lowering effect and protective effect on retinal ganglion cells.The FC-TNL was stable,safe and effective,being a promising glaucoma therapeutic.

Integration of phospholipid-drug complex into self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system to facilitate oral delivery of paclitaxel

Self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system(SNEDDS) has emerged as a promising platform to improve oral absorption of drugs with poor solubility and low permeability. However,large polarity molecules with insufficient lipid solubility,such as paclitaxel(PTX),would suffer from inferior formulation of SNEDDS due to poor compatibility. Herein,phospholipid-drug complex(PLDC) and SNEDDS were integrated into one system to facilitate oral delivery of PTX. First,PTX was formulated into PLDC in response to its inferior physicochemical properties. Then,the prepared PLDC was further formulated into SNEDDS by integrating these two drug delivery technologies into one system(PLDC-SNEDDS). After PLDC-SNEDDS dispersed in aqueous medium,nanoemulsion was formed immediately with an average particle size of ~30 nm. Furthermore,the nanomulsion of PLDC-SNEDDS showed good colloidal stability in both HCl solution(0.1 mol/l,p H 1.0) and phosphate buffer solution(PBS,p H 6.8). In vivo,PTX-PLDC-SNEDDS showed distinct advantages in terms of oral absorption efficiency,with a3.42-fold and 2.13-fold higher bioavailability than PTX-PLDC and PTX solution,respectively.Our results suggest that the integration of PLDC into SNEDDS could be utilized to facilitate the oral delivery of hydrophobic drugs with large polarity.

Amino functionalized chiral mesoporous silica nanoparticles for improved loading and release of poorly water-soluble drug

In the present paper, chiral mesoporous silica nano-cocoon(A-CMSN) functionalized with amino group was synthesized, and its loading and release of indomethacin(IMC), a poorly soluble drug, was studied. Due to the use of chiral anionic surfactants as a template, ACMSN possessed 2D hexagonal nano-cocoon morphology with curled channels on its surface, which was quite different from another 2D hexagonal mesoporous silica nanoparticles(MCM-41) with straightway channels. After being loaded into the two silica carriers by hydrogen bond, crystalline IMC converted to amorphous form, leading to the improved drug dissolution. And IMC loading capacity of A-CMSN was higher than MCM-41 because curled loading process originating from curvature chiral channels can hold more drug molecules. Compared with IMC, IMC loaded A-CMSN presented obviously fast release throughout the in vitro release experiment, while IMC loaded MCM-41 released faster than IMC at the initial 5 h then showed controlled slow release afterwards, which was closely related to the mesoporous silica nanoparticles and different channel mesostructures of these two carriers. A-CMSN possessed nano-cocoon morphology with curled 2D hexagonal channel and its channel length was shorter than MCM-41, therefore IMC molecules can easily get rid of the constraint of A-CMSN then to be surrounded by dissolution medium.

In vitro - in vivo - in silico approach in the development of inhaled drug products: Nanocrystal-based formulations with budesonide as a model drug

This study aims to understand the absorption patterns of three different kinds of inhaled formulations via in silico modeling using budesonide(BUD)as a model drug.The formulations investigated in this study are:(i)commercially available micronized BUD mixed with lactose(BUD-PT),(ii)BUD nanocrystal suspension(BUD-NC),(iii)BUD nanocrystals embedded hyaluronic acid microparticles(BUD-NEM).The deposition patterns of the three inhaled formulations in the rats’lungs were determined in vivo and in silico predicted,which were used as inputs in GastroPlus TM software to predict drug absorption following aerosolization of the tested formulations.BUD pharmacokinetics,estimated based on intravenous data in rats,was used to establish a drug-specific in silico absorption model.The BUD-specific in silico model revealed that drug pulmonary solubility and absorption rate constant were the key factors affecting pulmonary absorption of BUD-NC and BUD-NEM,respectively.In the case of BUD-PT,the in silico model revealed significant gastrointestinal absorption of BUD,which could be overlooked by traditional in vivo experimental observation.This study demonstrated that in vitro-in vivo-in silico approach was able to identify the key factors that influence the absorption of different inhaled formulations,which may facilitate the development of orally inhaled formulations with different drug release/absorption rates.