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Mucosal irritation potential of polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules
Liesbeth J De Cock1, Joke Lenoir, Stefaan De Koker
1Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Harelbekestraat 72, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
Biomaterials
|December 4, 2010
Summary
A novel slug-based assay effectively evaluates mucosal irritation potential of polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules for drug delivery. Complexing polyelectrolytes significantly reduces irritation, paving the way for safer mucosal administration applications.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Toxicology
Background:
- Polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules are promising for drug delivery.
- Mucosal administration faces challenges due to potential carrier-induced tissue irritation.
- Evaluating this irritation is crucial for developing safe drug carriers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a slug-based assay for assessing mucosal irritation.
- To evaluate the irritation potential of polyelectrolytes, their complexes, and capsules.
- To determine the safety of polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules for mucosal drug delivery.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a slug-based (Arion lusitanicus) assay for irritation assessment.
- Tested individual polyelectrolytes, their oppositely charged complexes, and multilayer capsules.
- Quantified tissue irritation responses in a simple, efficient in vivo model.
Main Results:
- Single polyelectrolyte components demonstrated varying degrees of tissue irritation.
- Complexation of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes significantly reduced irritation.
- Polyelectrolyte complexes and capsules showed markedly diminished mucosal irritation.
Conclusions:
- The slug-based assay provides a viable alternative to vertebrate models for assessing mucosal irritation.
- Polyelectrolyte complexation effectively mitigates the inherent irritancy of individual polyelectrolytes.
- These findings support the advancement of polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules for safe mucosal drug delivery.
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