Formulation and Evaluation of Thermoreversible In Situ Nasal Gels Containing Mometasone Furoate for Allergic Rhinitis

The purpose of the present work was to develop a mucoadhesive thermoreversible nasal gel with a tailored gelling temperature to provide the prolonged contact between mometasone furoate and the nasal mucosa and in order to prevent drainage of the formulation. For this purpose, in situ gel containing a thermogelling polymer poloxamer 407 (Pluronic® F-127) and a mucoadhesive polymer Carbopol® 974P NF was prepared. In this content, formulations were designed to have gelation temperature below 34°C to obtain gelation at intranasal cavity. Evaluation of the prepared in situ gels was carried out by the determination of sol-gel transition temperature, rheological and mechanical characteristics, mucoadhesion strength, drug content, physicochemical stability, in vitro release profiles, and ex vivo permeation across sheep nasal mucosa of formulations. Consequently, the in situ gel (CP5) which had favorable gelation temperature (30.1 ± 0.24°C), rheological and mechanical characteristics, in vitro release profile (T%100 180 min), and mucoadhesion strength (0.289 ± 0.0069 mJ) was developed. Consequently, the in situ gel system has been concluded as a promising approach in order to improve the therapeutic effects of intranasal mometasone furoate administration.