Self-inflating floating nanofiber membranes for controlled drug delivery

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Gastro-retentive drug delivery systems aim to prolong gastric residence for sustained drug release.
• Conventional oral medications often require frequent dosing, impacting patient compliance.
• Developing advanced delivery systems is crucial for improving therapeutic efficacy and patient convenience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize self-inflating, effervescence-based electrospun nanofiber membranes for gastro-retentive drug delivery.
• To evaluate the floating behavior, swelling properties, and drug release kinetics of these novel nanofibers.
• To assess the potential of this system for sustained release of Pramipexole, a model drug for Parkinson's disease.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of polyethylene oxide/sodium bicarbonate electrospun nanofiber membranes embedding Eudragit RL/RS polymers.
• Characterization of nanofiber morphology, including diameter and bead-free structure.
• Evaluation of water contact angle to assess surface wettability.
• In vitro assessment of floating lag time, total floating time, swelling, and drug release profiles in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids at 37°C.

Main Results:

• Uniform, bead-free nanofibers (~300 nm diameter) with rapid wettability were successfully fabricated.
• All effervescence-based floating nanofiber formulations exhibited instant flotation with zero lag time and maintained floating for over 24 hours.
• Formulations without sodium bicarbonate failed to maintain continuous floating beyond 15 minutes.
• Floating nanofibers significantly reduced initial drug burst release (20-57%) compared to non-floating counterparts (40-82% within 2h), demonstrating sustained release.

Conclusions:

• Effervescence-based floating nanofibers provide effective gastro-retention and sustained drug release.
• This novel system demonstrates significant potential for reducing initial burst release and enabling 'once-a-day' dosing.
• The developed nanofibers represent a promising prototype for drug delivery in the upper gastro-intestinal tract, particularly for chronic conditions like Parkinson's disease.