Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38748201›Full record

ArticleDrug delivery and translational research2025

Locally administered nanosuspension increases delivery of estradiol for the treatment of vaginal atrophy in mice.

Rachel L Shapiro, Titania Bethiana, Davell M Carter, Jairo Ortiz, Kevin DeLong, Nicole Anders, Tricia A Numan, Eliza Duggan, Hannah C Zierden, Laura M Ensign

Abstract read
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Article in Drug delivery and translational research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Optimizing genetic engineering approaches for protein loading into bacterial extracellular vesicles for vaginal drug delivery.Journal of controlled release : official journal of the Controlled Release Society · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Rachel L ShapiroDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-3244-8278
Titania BethianaDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.ORCID 0009-0008-0818-3848
Davell M CarterThe Center for Nanomedicine, The Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-6905-1277
Jairo OrtizThe Center for Nanomedicine, The Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9465-3373
Kevin DeLongThe Center for Nanomedicine, The Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8710-9601
Nicole AndersDepartment of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21231, USA.
Tricia A NumanDepartment of Pathology, Sibley Memorial Hospital, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, 20016, USA.
Eliza DugganDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA.
Hannah C ZierdenDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Maryland College Park, College Park, MD, 20742, USA. hzierden@umd.edu.ORCID 0000-0002-4285-1618
Laura M EnsignDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD, 21218, USA. lensign@jhmi.edu.ORCID 0000-0002-6949-7911

Funding

QAQC Johns Hopkins Institute for Clinical and Translational ResearchUL1TR003098 · NCATS · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI FORD, DANIEL ERNEST · 2019 to 2023
$57.7M
UPLC with Tandem MS for Sensitive Quantitative Analysis of Small MoleculesS10RR026824 · NCRR · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI RUDEK, MICHELLE A · 2010 to 2010
$429k
Hartwell Foundation Hartwell FoundationNational Cancer Institute (NCI) P30CA006973National Institute of Child Health and Human Development R01HD103124National Institute of Child Health and Human Development R01HD108905National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship ProgramNCATS NIH HHS UL1TR003098NCRR NIH HHS S10RR026824
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Vaginal atrophy affects up to 57% of post-menopausal women, with symptoms ranging from vaginal burning to dysuria. Estradiol hormone replacement therapy may be prescribed to alleviate these symptoms, though many vaginal products have drawbacks including increased discharge and local tissue toxicity due to their hypertonic nature. Here, we describe the development and characterization of a Pluronic F127-coated estradiol nanosuspension (NS) formulation for improved vaginal estradiol delivery. We compare the pharmacokinetics to the clinical comparator vaginal cream (Estrace) and demonstrate increased delivery of estradiol to the vaginal tissue. We utilized ovariectomized (OVX) mice as a murine model of post-menopausal vaginal atrophy and demonstrated equivalent efficacy in vaginal re-epithelialization when dosed with either the estradiol NS or Estrace cream. Further, we demonstrate compatibility of the estradiol NS with vaginal bacteria in vitro. We demonstrate that a Pluronic F127-coated estradiol NS may be a viable option for the treatment of post-menopausal vaginal atrophy.

Indexed as

AtrophyEstradiolPoloxamerVaginaAdministration, IntravaginalAnimalsDisease Models, AnimalFemaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLNanoparticlesOvariectomyPostmenopauseSuspensionsVaginal Creams, Foams, and JelliesVaginal DiseasesEstradiolPoloxamerSuspensionsVaginal Creams, Foams, and JelliesEstradiolMenopauseNanosuspensionVaginal atrophyVaginal drug delivery

Identifiers

PMID38748201

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.