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Spatio-Temporal In Vivo Imaging of Ocular Drug Delivery Systems using Fiberoptic Confocal Laser Microendoscopy
Published on: September 27, 2021
Chitosan based nanocarriers for indomethacin ocular delivery
Alia A Badawi1, Hanan M El-Laithy, Riad K El Qidra
1Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Pharmacy College, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Archives of Pharmacal Research
|September 13, 2008
Summary
Chitosan (CS) nanocarriers, including nanoparticles and nanoemulsions, were developed to enhance Indomethacin (IM) ocular delivery. The nanoemulsion formulation demonstrated superior corneal healing and prolonged therapeutic drug levels in ocular tissues compared to nanoparticles.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Nanotechnology
- Pharmaceutics
Background:
- Indomethacin (IM) is crucial for managing post-operative inflammation and irritation after cataract surgery.
- Limited precorneal residence time and poor ocular bioavailability hinder IM's efficacy.
- Chitosan (CS) nanocarriers offer a promising approach to overcome these limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize chitosan (CS) nanoparticles and nanoemulsions for improved Indomethacin (IM) ocular delivery.
- To evaluate the in vitro drug release profiles of CS-IM nanocarriers.
- To assess the in vivo ocular therapeutic efficacy and bioavailability of CS-IM nanocarriers.
Main Methods:
- CS nanoparticles prepared via modified ionic gelation; CS nanoemulsions via spontaneous emulsification.
- Characterization included Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) for morphology and size analysis.
- In vitro drug release studies under sink conditions and in vivo studies in rabbit eyes.
Main Results:
- Both CS nanoparticles and nanoemulsions exhibited spherical shapes with high loading efficiency.
- Nanoemulsions showed variable sizes (220-690 nm) depending on surfactant.
- In vivo studies indicated superior corneal healing and sustained therapeutic IM concentrations in aqueous humor with CS-nanoemulsion compared to CS-nanoparticles and IM solution.
Conclusions:
- Chitosan (CS) nanocarriers, particularly nanoemulsions, effectively prolong Indomethacin (IM) precorneal residence time.
- CS-nanoemulsions significantly enhance ocular bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy for post-operative ocular inflammation.
- These nanocarriers represent a promising strategy for improving drug delivery to ocular tissues.
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