Ocular ciprofloxacin hydrochloride mucoadhesive chitosan-coated liposomes

The aim of this work is to improve the ocular bioavailability of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (CPX) through the preparation of ocular mucoadhesive chitosan (CS)-coated liposomes. Liposomes were prepared by the thin film hydration technique, using different molar ratios of L-α-phosphatidylcholine (PC), cholesterol (CH), stearylamine (SA) and dicetyl phosphate (DP). CS was used to coat the optimal liposomal formulae. The prepared formulae were characterized regarding encapsulation efficiency (%EE), particle size, physical morphology and in vitro drug release. The in vivo characterization of the prepared formulae was performed through evaluating the level of CPX in the external eye tissue of nine albino rabbits. Results showed an alteration in release rate and %EE of CPX from liposomal formulae upon varying the molar ratios of the lipid bilayer composition. The optimal liposomal formulae F1 (10:0, PC:CH), F12 (10:0:0.5, PC:CH:SA) and F15 (10:0:1, PC:CH:DP), showed % EE of 38.5 ± 2.10, 39.65 ± 1.85 and 30.05 ± 0.75 and % in vitro release after 8 hours (Q(8h)) of 78.15 ± 2.4, 54.07 ± 2.3 and 62.14 ± 2.9, respectively. In vitro drug release and in vivo results confirmed that CS-coated liposomal formulae have exhibited a higher retention of CPX. Consequently, CS-coated liposomes could be a promising approach to increase the ocular bioavailability of CPX.