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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Porcine Corneal Tissue Explant to Study the Efficacy of Herpes Simplex Virus-1 Antivirals

Porcine Corneal Tissue Explant to Study the Efficacy of Herpes Simplex Virus-1 Antivirals

Published on: September 20, 2021

Development and characterization of sponge-like acyclovir ocular minitablets.

Hanan Refai¹, Randa Tag

¹Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. hanan_rf@yahoo.com

|September 1, 2010

Summary

New acyclovir ocular minitablets offer prolonged treatment for herpes keratitis. Chitosan-based tablets provide sustained drug release and improved corneal permeation, enhancing efficacy for eye infections.

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Development of an In Vitro Ocular Platform to Test Contact Lenses

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Published on: April 6, 2016

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Development of an In Vitro Ocular Platform to Test Contact Lenses

Development of an In Vitro Ocular Platform to Test Contact Lenses

Published on: April 6, 2016

Area of Science:

Ophthalmology
Pharmaceutics
Biomaterials Science

Background:

Ocular keratitis, often caused by herpes viruses, requires effective topical antiviral treatment.
Current treatments may have limitations in sustained local drug delivery and patient comfort.
Acyclovir is a specific inhibitor of herpes virus replication used for ocular infections.

Purpose of the Study:

To design and evaluate freeze-dried, bioadhesive, and biodegradable acyclovir ocular minitablets.
To achieve prolonged local drug action for enhanced ocular keratitis treatment.
To improve patient comfort by minimizing foreign body sensation.

Main Methods:

Development of lyophilized ocular minitablets using polymers like NaCMC, HPMC, xanthan gum, chitosan, and Carbopol 943P.
Evaluation of minitablet properties including drug content, weight variation, bioadhesion, water uptake, and in vitro drug release.
Investigation of polymer solution rheological characteristics and correlation with drug release profiles.

Main Results:

All tested polymers exhibited pseudoplastic behavior, suitable for ocular application.
Drug release rates varied significantly with polymer type and concentration, with chitosan showing the most sustained release.
Chitosan minitablets demonstrated superior bioadhesion, sustained release, and corneal permeation compared to a commercial eye ointment in rabbit models.

Conclusions:

Freeze-dried, chitosan-based acyclovir ocular minitablets represent a promising sustained drug delivery system.
These minitablets offer potential for improved efficacy and patient compliance in treating ocular keratitis.
The study highlights the potential of bioadhesive and biodegradable formulations for enhanced ocular drug delivery.