Sustained release timolol maleate loaded ocusert based on biopolymer composite

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmic Drug Delivery
• Polymer Science
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Glaucoma treatment relies on conventional eye drops, which can have compliance issues.
• Developing sustained-release ophthalmic formulations is crucial for improving drug delivery and patient adherence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate timolol maleate-loaded ocuserts as a novel alternative to conventional anti-glaucoma eye drops.
• To evaluate the physico-chemical properties, in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo performance of the developed ocuserts.

Main Methods:

• Ocuserts were prepared using sodium alginate and ethyl cellulose.
• Evaluated drug entrapment, content uniformity, in vitro release, and ex vivo permeation.
• Conducted sterility, stability, eye irritancy, and in vivo anti-glaucoma activity studies in rabbits using Schiotz tonometer.

Main Results:

• Ocuserts demonstrated high drug entrapment (94-98%) and satisfactory content uniformity.
• In vitro drug release followed zero-order kinetics, with 83.42% release in 12 hours.
• In vivo studies showed a significant reduction in intraocular pressure within 3 days compared to marketed eye drops.

Conclusions:

• Timolol maleate-loaded ocuserts are a promising, viable alternative for sustained ophthalmic drug delivery.
• This formulation improves drug targeting within the ocular globe, enhancing patient compliance for glaucoma management.