Medway school of pharmacy

Ali obtained his pharmacy degree (PharmD) in 1989 from Tabriz School of Pharmacy, Iran. He completed his PhD on Pharmaceutical Technology at John Moores University, Liverpool in 1996 and has been a qualified pharmacist since 1989.

He held a lectureship (1997 - 2001), and senior lectureship (2001 - 2003) at the School of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. During this period he was head of postgraduate studies and also vice-dean for research for a period of 4 years in Tabriz School of Pharmacy.

In 2003 he was appointed as lecturer of pharmaceutics at King’s College London, Department of Pharmacy. He worked as professor of Pharmaceutical Technology at Tabriz School of Pharmacy prior to this appointment as senior lecturer of Pharmaceutics at Medway School of Pharmacy. He has supervised over 85 Mpharm, PharmD, MSc project students and 13 PhD postgraduate students at several institutions in various fields of pharmaceutical technology. At the present he has 4 PhD students in his lab working on particle engineering, dissolution enhancement techniques and controlled release formulations. He is a regular reviewer for many international pharmacy journals and editorial board of several journals in pharmaceutical sciences.

Ali teaches on the MPharm Programme and is module convener of Medicines Design and Manufacture stage 2 (MDM2) within the undergraduate programme. He has published a significant number of papers (over 110 research articles) on various fields of pharmaceutics, mainly, tableting, particle engineering, skin delivery and controlled-release formulations.

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Particle engineering for drug delivery (oral and pulmonary delivery)

Tablets are still by far the most widely used, simple and convenient dosage forms. Unfortunately, most drug powders are poorly water-soluble or poorly compactible. Particle engineering techniques can be used in order to improve the physico-chemical and physico-mechanical properties of drugs and excipients. This is one of the main research interests of this laboratory. We use crystal modification techniques in order to produce micro- and nano-particles with improved dissolution, solubility, compressibility, compactibility and deep lung penetration.

Controlled release formulation

Achieving zero order release formulations is one of the main challenges in dosage form design. The current research in this field involves design of new devices (e.g. osmotic devices, liquisolid compacts), exploring naturally occurring polymers for preparation of tablet matrices and new approaches to achieve sustained and zero order release pattern.

Transdermal delivery

Transdermal drug delivery through the skin has a number of advantages over oral delivery. Transdermal delivery leads to better absorption, greater flexibility in how the drugs are administered, and more choices for patients in how they receive these important drugs. However, the skin, in particular the stratum corneum, poses a formidable barrier to drug penetration thereby limiting topical and transdermal bioavailability. A special focus of this laboratory is to explore the chemical or physical means of enhancing the skin delivery of drugs.

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Selected Recent Publications

• Ghobad Mohammadi, Ali Nokhodchi, Mohammad Barzegar-Jalali, Farzaneh Lotfipour, KhosroAdibkia, Nasrin Ehyaei, Hadi Valizadeh (2011) Physicochemical and anti-bacterial performance characterization of Clarithromycin nanoparticles as colloidal drug delivery system. Colloids and Surface B-Biointerfaces,  (in press)
• Kofi ASare-Addo, M. Levina, Ali R. Siahboomi, Ali Nokhodchi (2011) Effect of Ionic Strength and pH of Dissolution Media on Theophylline Release from Hypromellose Matrix Tablets – Apparatus USP III, Simulated Fasted and Fed Conditions. Carbohydrate polymers, 86, 85-93.
• W. Kaialy, M.D. Ticehurst, M.A.Mohammad, J.Murphy, Ali Nokhodchi (2011) Improved aerosolization performance of salbutamol sulphate formulated with lactose crystallised from binary mixtures of ethanol-acetone. J. Pharm. Sci., 100, 2665-2684.
• Ali Nokhodchi, Christina M. Hentzschel2, Claudia S. Leopold (2011) Drug release from liquisolid systems: speed it up, slow it down. Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery, 8, 191-205.
•  Dasha Palmer, Marina Levina, Ali Nokhodchi, Dennis Douroumis, Tom Farrell, Ali Rajabi-Siahboomi (2011) The Influence of Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose on Drug Release from Polyethylene Oxide Extended Release Matrices. AAPS Pharm. Sci. Technol. (in press)
• M. Naeem- Aamir, M. Ahmad, N. Akhtar, G. Murtaza, S. Ali Khan, S. Zaman, Ali Nokhodchi (2011) Development and in vitro–in vivo relationship of controlled-release microparticles loaded with tramadol hydrochloride. Int. J. Pharm. 407, 38-43.
• Kaialy, G.P. Martin, M.D. Ticehurst, P. Royall, M.A. Mohammad, J.Murphy, Ali Nokhodchi (2011) Characterisation and deposition studies of recrystallised lactose from binary mixtures of ethanol/butanol for improved drug delivery from dry powder inhalers. The AAPS J, 13, 30-43.
• Kofi ASare-Addo, M. Levina, Ali R. Siahboomi, Ali Nokhodchi (2010) Study of dissolution hydrodynamic conditions versus drug release from hypromellose matrices: the infllllluence of agiation sequence. Colloids and Surface B-Biointerfaces 81, 452-460.
• W. Kaialy, G.P. Martyn, M. D. Ticehurst, M.N. Momin, Ali Nokhodchi (2010) The enhanced aerosol performance of salbutamol from dry powders containing engineered mannitol as excipient. Int. J. Pharm., 392, 178-188.
• G. Mohammadi, H. Valizadeh, A. Nokhodchi (2010) Development of azithromycin-PLGA nanoparticles: physicochemical characterization and antibacterial effect against Salmonella typhi. Colloids and Surface B-Biointerfaces 80, 34-39.
• Hiba Al-Hamidi, M. A. Mohammad, Alison A. Edwards, Ali Nokhodchi (2010) Glucosamine HCl as a new carrier for improved dissolution behaviour: effect of grinding. Colloids and Surface B-Biointerfaces, 81, 96-109.
• R. Talari J. Varshosaz, A. Mostafavi, A. Nokhodchi (2010) Gliclazide microcrystals prepared by two methods of in situ micronization: pharmacokinetic studies in diabetic and normal rats. AAPS Pharm. Tech. 11, 786-792.
• Waseem Kaialy, Mohammed N. Momin, Martyn Ticehurst, Ali Nokhodchi (2010) Engineered Mannitol as an alternative carrier to enhance performance of dry powder inhaler. Colloids and Surface B-Biointerfaces 79, 345-356.
• A. Nokhodchi, R. Aliakbar, S. Desaei, Y. Javadzadeh (2010) Liquisolid compacts: the effect of cosolvent and HPMC on theophylline release. Colloids and Surface B-Biointerfaces 79, 262-269.
• H.Mahdavi, H.Mirzadeh, H.Hamishehkar, A.Jamshidi, A.Fakhari, J.Emami, A.R. Najafabadi, K.Gilani, M.Minaiyan, M.Najafi, M. Tajarod, A.Nokhodchi (2010), The Effect of Process Parameters on the Size and Morphology of Poly (D,L-Lactide-Co-Glycolide) Micro/Nanoparticles Prepared by an Oil in Oil Emulsion/Solvent Evaporation Technique. J. Applied Polymer Sciences 116, 528-534.
• H. Hamishehkar, J. Emami, A. R. Najafabadi, K. Gilani, M. Minaiyan, H. Mahdavi, A. Nokhodchi (2010) Effect of carrier morphology and surface characteristics on the development of respirable PLGA microcapsules for sustained-release pulmonary delivery of insulin. Int. J. Pharm 389, 74-85.
• Hiba Al-Hamidi, M.Mohammad Amin, Alison A. Edwards, Ali Nokhodchi (2010) To enhance dissolution rate of poorly water soluble drugs: Glucosamine hydrochloride as a potential carrier in solid dispersion formulations. Colloids and Surface B-Biointerfaces, 76, 170-178.
• M. Barzegar-Jalali, H.Valizadeh, M.R. Siahi-Shadbad, K. Adibkia, G. Mohammadi, A. Farahani, Z. Arash, A. Nokhodchi (2010) Cogrinding as an approach to enhance dissolution rate of a poorly water soluble drug (gliclazide). Powder Technology, 197 150–158. .
• A. Nokhodchi, O.N. Okwudarue1, H. Valizadeh, M.N. Momin (2009)Cogrinding as a tool to produce sustain release behaviour for theophylline particles containing magnesium stearate. AAPS Pharm. Sci. Technol. 10, 1243-1251.
•  J. Emami, H. Hamishekar, A.R. najafabadi, K. Gilani, M. Minaiyan, H. Mahdavi, A. Nokhodchi (2009) A Novel Approach to Prepare Insulin-Loaded Poly(Lactic-Co-Glycolic Acid) Microcapsules and the Protein Stability Study. J. Pharm. Sci. 98, 1712-1731.
• M. Barzegar-Jalali, K. Adibkia, H.Valizadeh, M.R. Siahi Shadbad, A. Nokhodchi, Y. Omidi, G. Mohammadi, S. Hallaj-Nezhadi, M. Hasan. (2008) Kinetic analysis of drug release from nanoparticles, J. Pharm. Pharmaceut. Sci. 11,167-77
• Y. Javadzadeh, L. Musaalrezaei, A. Nokhodchi (2008) Liquisolid technique as a new approach to sustain propranolol hydrochloride release from tablet matrices. Int. J. Pharm. 362, 102-108.
• J. Varshosaz, R. Talari, A. Nokhodchi (2008) Dissolution enhancement of gliclazide using in situ micrcronization by solvent change method. Powder Technology 187, 222-230.
• A. Nokhodchi; H. Nazemiyeh; A. Khodaparast; T. Sorkh-Shahan; H. Valizadeh; J.L. Ford (2008) An In Vitro Evaluation of Fenugreek Mucilage as a Potential Excipient for Oral Controlled-Release Matrix Tablet. Drug Dev. Ind. Pharm. 34, 323-329.
• Javad Shokri, Mahbobeh Shahsavari , Parinaz Ahmadi, Parisa Rashidi, A. Rajabi-Siahboomi, Ali Nokhodchi (2008) Swellable elementary osmotic pump (SEOP): An effective device for delivery of poorly water- soluble drug. Eur. J. Pharm. Biopharm. 68, 289-297.
• Maryam Maghsoodi, Omid Taghizadeh, Gary P. Martin and Ali Nokhodchi (2008) Particle design of naproxen-disintegrant agglomerates for direct compression by a crystallo-co-agglomeration technique. Int. J. Pharm., 351, 45-54.

Pre 2008

• T. Ghafourian, Kh. Adibkia, A. Safari, F. Parviz, A. Nokhodchi (2007) A Drug release study from hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) matrices using QSPR modeling. J. Pharm. Sci., 96, 3334-3351.
• M. Maghsoodi, D. Hassanzadeh, M.Barzegar-Jalali, A. Nokhodchi (2007) Improved compaction and packing properties of naproxen agglomerated crystals obtained by spherical crystallization technique. Drug. Dev. Ind. Pharm. 33, 1216-1224.
• Kh. Adibkia, Y. Omidi, A.R. Javadzadeh, M. Barzegar-Jalali, J. Barar, N. Maleki, G. Mohammadi, Ali Nokhodchi (2007), Inhibition of Endotoxin-Induced Uveitis by Methylprednisolone Acetate Nanosuspension in rabbits. J. Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 23, 421-432.
• Yousef Javadzadeh, Baharak Jafari-Navimipour, Ali Nokhodchi (2007) Liquisolid technique for dissolution rate enhancement of a high dose water-insoluble drug (carbamazepine) Int. J. Pharm. 341, 26-34.
• Kh. Adibkia, J. Barar, A. Nokhodchi, Y. Omidi (2007) Piroxicam Nanoparticles for Ocular Delivery: Physicochemical Characterization and Implementation in Endotoxin-induced Uveitis. J. Drug Targeting 15, 407-416.
• Ali Nokhodchi, Roya Talari, Hadi Valizadeh, Mohammad Barzegar Jalali (2007) An Investigation on the Solid Dispersions of Chlordiazepoxide, Int. J. Biomed. Sci. 3, 211-217.
• Ali Nokhodchi, Maryam Maghsoodi, Davood Hassan-Zadeh and Mohammad Barzegar-Jalali (2007) Preparation of agglomerated crystals for improving flowability and compactibility of poorly flowable and compactible drugs and excipients. Powder Technology, 175, 73-81.
• H. Valizadeh, P. Zakeri Milani,, M. Barzegar-Jalali, G. Mohammadi, M.A. Danesh, A. Nokhodchi (2007) Preparation and Chracterization of solid dispersion of pirixicam with hydrophilic carriers. Drug Dev. Ind. Pharm. 33, 45-56
• A. Nokhodchi, M.R. Rashidi, Kh. Sharabiani, T. Ghafourian (2007), The effect of terpen concentrations on the skin penetration of diclofenac sodium, Int. J. Pharm. 335,97-105.

Book Chapters

• Chapter 6: Oral Extended Release Hydrophilic Matrices: Formulation and Design (Xiaoguang Wen, Ali Nokhodchi, and Ali Rajabi-Siahboomi). In Oral Controlled Release Formulation Design and Drug Delivery: Theory to Practice, Edited by Hong Wen, Kinan Park, ISBN: 978-0-470-25317-5 (2010)
• Drug Delivery Book, Nova Publisher: The influence of particle physicochemical properties on delivery of drugs by dry powder inhalers to the lung. Ali Nokhidchi, Waseem Kaialy, Martyn Ticehurst (2011) in press, ISBN: 978-1-61324-538-5
• Salmonella: Drug delivery tools to improve the antibiotics efficiency against salmonella , Ali Nokhodchi, Taravat Ghafourian, Ghobad Mohammadi (2011) under preparation, ISBN 979-953-307-691-0

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