Self-microemulsifiyng suppository formulation of β-artemether

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Parasitology
• Drug Delivery

Background:

• Parasitic diseases affect 30% of the global population, with malaria being a major life-threatening illness.
• Effective antimalarial drug delivery remains a critical challenge in combating malaria.
• Rectal administration offers an alternative route for antimalarial drug delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To formulate and evaluate novel self-microemulsifying suppositories of β-artemether for rectal administration.
• To compare the characteristics and efficacy of these novel suppositories against conventional polyethylene glycol suppositories.
• To assess the antimalarial activity and in vivo performance of the developed formulation.

Main Methods:

• Formulation of self-microemulsifying suppositories and conventional polyethylene glycol suppositories.
• Physicochemical characterization including melting range, rheology, texture analysis, disintegration, self-microemulsification time, particle size, and drug content.
• In vitro drug release studies using USP apparatus II.
• In vivo evaluation against Plasmodium berghei in a murine model.

Main Results:

• The self-microemulsifying suppositories exhibited desirable characteristics for rectal delivery.
• In vitro studies showed controlled drug release profiles.
• In vivo studies demonstrated sustained antimalarial activity (94% efficacy for 20 days) and improved animal survival compared to conventional suppositories.

Conclusions:

• Self-microemulsifying suppositories of β-artemether are a promising rectal drug delivery system for malaria treatment.
• This formulation offers a faster onset and prolonged effect, enhancing therapeutic outcomes.
• The developed suppositories represent an advancement in antimalarial drug delivery strategies.