Research paper description Dr. ARM
                     Research paper of Dr. Ashwini Madgulkar for the month of April 2021
Title: Improvement of Oral Bioavailability of Lopinavir Without Co-administration of Ritonavir 
Using Microspheres of Thiolated Xyloglucan
Authors: Ashwini R. Madgulkar, Mangesh R. Bhalekar, Ashwini A. Kadam
Journal Details: American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists PharmSci Tech (# 2017)
Publisher: Cross mark
Description: 
Lopinavir is an antiviral drug, it has poor solubility as well as permeability in gastrointestinal
tract. The absorbed drug also is driven out of cell by a cellular mechanism called  P-gp efflux.
All this leads to poor absorption and bioavailability. To escape Pg P efflux coadministration of
another  drug  Ritonavir  is  done  which  preferentially undergoes  PgP  efflux  and  improves
bioavailability  of  lopinavir.  This  research  was  aimed  at  overcoming  this  limitation  by
formulating microspheres  of  lopinavir  using  thiolated  xyloglucan  (thiomer)  as  carrier.  The
thiomers are polymers which can improve permeation across intestinal cells and inhibit the Pg P
efflux  mechanism.  This  enabled  3.15  times  enhancement  of permeation  of  lopinavir  from
microspheres  was  enhanced. 
And improved bioavailability by 3.22-fold over combination of lopinavir and ritonavir in study
done on experimental animals. Thus, thiomers not only improve bioavailability but also reduce
the coadministration of ritonavir thus reducing cost and drug load in body. 
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