Unsaturated fatty acid vesicles (ufasomes) are suspensions of closed lipid bilayers that are composed of fatty acids, and their ionized species (soap) which are restricted to narrow pH range from 7 to 9. In ufasomes, fatty acid molecules are oriented in such a way that their hydrocarbon tails are directed toward the membrane interior and the carboxyl groups are in contact with water. Stable ufasome formulation critically depends on proper selection of fatty acid, amount of cholesterol, buffer, pH range, amount of lipoxygenase, and the presence of divalent cations. Recent innovations can provide opportunity to formulate ufasomes with tailorable features such as extension of pH range, insensitivity toward divalent cations, and enhancement of stability. This article describes method of ufasome preparation, key issues in ufasome manufacturing, recent innovations in ufasomes, dynamicity, stability, and microscopic characterization of ufasomes. Later part of this article deals with comparison of ufasomes with thoroughly studied liposomes.

Particle size enlargement is the process of transforming fine particles into larger particles by the introduction of external forces, and is a value-added step in many processes involving powdered materials. There are many different reasons to enlarge particle size, including increased flowability and improved product shape and appearance. With the multitude of options available to achieve enlarged particle product, it can be difficult to narrow down the best method for the desired application. The main factor in selecting the right kind of method is to specify the type of end product required. In the pharmaceutical industry in particular, uniform flow of solid mixtures is one of the most important considerations in solid dosage manufacture. The particle size distribution, shape, hardness, and moisture content of the powder particles govern its flow and compactibility property. This article outlines making of enlarged particles and understanding their behavior.

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and its derivatives are known to perform various important physiological and metabolic functions in humans. In addition to dietary supplements, a number of topical formulations containing ascorbic acid and derivatives are now available that induce collagen synthesis, strengthening of skin tissues, reduction in pigmentation loss, and improved growth and health activities. It has also been used in a variety of cosmetic preparations as an antioxidant, pH adjuster, anti-aging and photoprotecting agent. Ascorbic acid is highly sensitive to air and light; and to achieve its stabilization in cosmetic preparations, it has been suggested to use ascorbic acid in microencapsulation form, in combination with other chemical moieties such as vitamin-E, by the control of pH and electrolyte concentration and use of stabilizing agents like citric, tartaric, or ferulic acids. A large number of cosmetic creams and lotions are available in the market containing the derivatives of ascorbic acid (e.g., sodium ascorbate, ascorbyl palmitate). Although these preparations are chemically stable, they lack the pharmacological activity of ascorbic acid. In the present review, it has been emphasized to consider the importance of various factors involved in the formulation of such preparations to achieve the stabilization of ascorbic acid as such, to maintain its pharmacological activity.

Controlled drug through diffusion and activation-based drug delivery devices have become commercially feasible due to converging technologies and regulatory accommodation. Combination products constructed using implantable technology offer revolutionary opportunities to address unmet medical needs related to dosing. These products have the potential to completely con trol drug release, meeting requirements for on-demand pulsatile or adjustable continuous administration for extended periods. Implantable technologies, materials science, data management, and biological science have significantly developed in recent years, providing a multidisciplinary foundation for developing integrated therapeutic systems. If small-scale biosensor and drug reservoir units are combined and implanted, a wireless integrated system can regulate drug release, receive sensor feedback, and transmit updates. The tools such as microfabrication technology, information science, and systems biology are being combined to design increasingly sophisticated drug delivery systems that promise to significantly improve medical care.

Pentacyclic lupane-type triterpenes, exemplified by lupeol [lup-20(29)-en-3b-ol], principally found in common fruit plants such as olive, mango, strawberry, grapes, etc., were reported to possess beneficial effects as a therapeutic and preventive agent for a range of disorders. Although lupeol exhibits an array of biological activities like anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic activities both in in vitro and in vivo systems, extensive exploration to establish its role as a chemopreventive compound is warranted. Last 15 years have seen tremendous efforts by researchers worldwide to develop this wonderful molecule for its clinical use toward the treatment of a variety of disorders. These studies also provide insight into the mechanism of action of lupeol and suggest that it is a multi-target agent with immense anti-inflammatory potential targeting key molecular pathways which involve nuclear factor kappa B (NF-jB), cFLIP, Fas, Kras, phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase in a variety of cells. It is noteworthy that lupeol at its effective therapeutic doses exhibits no toxicity to normal cells and tissues. The perception of chemoprevention lies still in its infancy. Intervention to slow down, arrest or reverse the process of carcinogenesis by the use of either natural or synthetic substances individually or in combination therapy has emerged as a promising and pragmatic medical approach to reduce cancer risk.

The World Health Organization (WHO) redefined traditional medicine recently as comprising therapeutic practices that have been in existence, often for hundreds of years, before the development and spread of modern scientific medicine and are still in use today (WHO, 1991). ^[1] Traditional healers have used the drugs of herbal, herbomineral, and animal origin since the dawn of civilization to maintain health and treat disease. According to WHO, about 80% of the world's population use herbal drugs for their primary health care. These drugs are cheap with no or less side effects. The Annonaceous acetogenins are C-32 or C-34 long-chain fatty acids that have been combined with a 2- propanol unit at C-2 to form a terminal a,b-unsaturated g-lactone. They often cyclize to form one, two, or three tetrahydrofuran or tetrahydopyran rings near the middle of the alphabetic chain. To date, nearly 400 of these compounds have been isolated from several genera of the plant family, Annonaceae. The potential application of acetogenin molecules is linked to their marked properties: cytotoxic and antitumor (gigantecin, bullatacin, and rolliniastatin) and pesticidal (asimicine and annonin). Biochemically, acetogenins block mitochondrial respiration by inhibiting NADH-cytochrome-c oxidoreductase; this would explain their pesticidal activity among others.

Swine influenza (SI) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza that regularly causes pandemics. SI viruses do not normally infect humans; however, human infections with SI do occur, and cases of human-to-human spread of swine flu viruses have been documented. Swine influenza also called as swine flu, hog flu, and pig flu that refers to influenza is caused by those strains of influenza virus, called SI virus (SIV), that usually infect pigs endemically. As of 2009, these strains are all found in influenza C virus and subtypes of influenza A virus known as H1N1, H1N2, H3N1, H3N2, and H2N3. The viruses are 80-120 nm in diameter. The transmission of SIV from pigs to humans is not common and does not always cause human influenza, often only resulting in the production of antibodies in the blood. The meat of the animal poses no risk of transmitting the virus when properly cooked. If the transmission does cause human influenza, it is called zoonotic swine flu. People who work with pigs, especially people with intense exposures, are at an increased risk of catching swine flu. In the mid-20 ^th century, the identification of influenza subtypes became possible; this allowed accurate diagnosis of transmission to humans. Since then, 50 confirmed transmissions have been recorded; rarely these strains of swine flu can pass from human to human. In humans, the symptoms of swine flu are similar to those of influenza and of influenza-like illness, namely, chills, fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, weakness, and general discomfort. Influenza A is a single-stranded RNA virus with eight different segments. When two viruses co-infect the same cell, new viruses can be produced that contain segments from both parental strains.