{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,4]],"date-time":"2026-06-04T17:52:32Z","timestamp":1780595552783,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,10,29]],"date-time":"2022-10-29T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1667001600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"JEIVEN Pharmaceutical Consulting Inc.","award":["01\/2021"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["01\/2021"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pharmaceutics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Bacterial vaginosis, a polymicrobial clinical syndrome characterized by a shift in healthy vaginal microbiota due to bacterial colonization, is characterized by high recurrence rates after conventional treatment with an antimicrobial agent. This has necessitated the need to develop a formulation that has the potential to ensure Lactobacilli viability and bacterial clearance. This study seeks to develop and optimize a layered suppository using a five-level central composite design to ensure optimized metronidazole release and lactic acid viability. Layered suppositories were formulated using the fusion method using polyethylene glycol blend 1500\/4000 and Ovucire\u00ae as suppository bases. Lactobacillus fermentum was incorporated in the molten mass before molding the solid body suppositories into the cavity of hollow-type suppositories and sealing the molten excipients. Artificial neural network model predictions for product optimization showed high predictive capacity, closely resembling experimental observations. The highest disintegration time recorded was 12.76 \u00b1 0.37 min, with the optimized formulations showing lower times of 5.93 \u00b1 0.98 min and an average weight of 1.17 \u00b1 0.07 g. Histopathological observations determined high compatibility of suppositories with vaginal cells with no distortion or wearing of the vagina epithelium. This optimized formulation provides a safe and promising alternative to conventional suppositories in the treatment and prevention of the recurrence of bacterial vaginosis.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pharmaceutics14112337","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,10,30]],"date-time":"2022-10-30T09:01:42Z","timestamp":1667120502000},"page":"2337","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":11,"title":["Formulation and Optimization of Metronidazole and Lactobacillus spp. Layered Suppositories via a Three-Variable, Five-Level Central Composite Design for the Management of Bacterial Vaginosis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8819-1937","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Margaret O.","family":"Ilomuanya","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos, PMB 12003, Surulere, Lagos 101245, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Busayo B.","family":"Salako","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos, PMB 12003, Surulere, Lagos 101245, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Modupe O.","family":"Ologunagba","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos, PMB 12003, Surulere, Lagos 101245, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Omonike O.","family":"Shonekan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos, PMB 12003, Surulere, Lagos 101245, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kruga","family":"Owodeha-Ashaka","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Waterford Institute of Technology, School of Science and Computing, X91 K0EK Waterford, Ireland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Eseosa S.","family":"Osahon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lagos, PMB 12003, Surulere, Lagos 101245, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Andrew N.","family":"Amenaghawon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Benin, Benin City 300283, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,10,29]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC 2020) (2020, April 12). 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