Newly developed controlled release subcutaneous formulation for tramadol hydrochloride

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Pharmaceutical Sciences

Background:

• Tramadol is a widely used analgesic, but its effective delivery can be challenging.
• Optimizing tramadol's pharmaceutical action requires innovative drug delivery systems.
• Poly (Ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) offers potential for controlled drug release applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize poly (Ɛ-caprolactone) ribbons for tramadol hydrochloride (HCl) drug delivery.
• To investigate the chemical integrity, morphology, and drug loading of the PCL ribbons.
• To evaluate the in vitro release kinetics and biodegradation of tramadol from the PCL ribbons.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of PCL ribbons using slip casting and coating with β-cyclodextrin.
• Characterization of ribbons using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA).
• In vitro studies of tramadol loading, biodegradation, and release kinetics in Phosphate-Buffered Saline (PBS).

Main Results:

• The formulation maintained the chemical integrity of tramadol HCl.
• SEM/EDX confirmed homogeneous tramadol distribution within the PCL matrix without porous structures.
• Controlled tramadol release up to 45 days was observed, primarily driven by diffusion, with particle size ranging from 2-4 nm.

Conclusions:

• The developed PCL ribbons are a promising system for the long-term subcutaneous delivery of tramadol.
• The drug delivery system did not compromise the chemical integrity of tramadol.
• Further investigation into the bioavailability of tramadol from this PCL ribbon system is warranted.