Development of Spray Formulations Applied to the Oral Mucosa Using Non-lamellar Liquid Crystal-Forming Lipids

We examined the physicochemical and biochemical properties of mono-O-(5,9,13-trimethyl-4-tetradecenyl)glycerol ester (MGE), including ease of handling, high bioadhesiveness, quick and stable in vivo self-organization (forming a non-lamellar lyotropic liquid crystal [NLLC]), and high biomembrane permeation enhancement. We prepared MGE oral mucosa-applied spray preparations containing triamcinolone acetonide (TA), which is widely used in the treatment of stomatitis, and we examined the usefulness of the MGE preparations compared with commercially available oral mucosal application preparations containing 2,3-dihydroxypropyl oleate (1-mono(cis-9-octadecenoyl)glycerol (GMO) (previously studied as an NLLC-forming lipid) preparation. As a result, the MGE preparation applied to the oral mucosa can rapidly formed an NLLC with reverse hexagonal or cubic structures, or a mixture, on contact with water. In addition, by adding hydroxypropyl cellulose to the MGE preparation, similar retention properties on the oral mucous membrane were obtained to that using marketed drug preparations. Furthermore, the MGE spray formulation on the oral mucosa showed an equivalent or higher TA release as well as oral mucous membrane permeability compared with commercial formulations. Because MGE forms a stable NLLC and is easy to handle compared with GMO, MGE was considered to be a useful pharmaceutical additive for a spray preparation applied to the oral mucosa in combination.