Development of ocular inserts for cattle

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Ophthalmology
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Materials Science

Background:

• Bovine infectious keratoconjunctivitis (pinkeye) is a common cattle disease causing significant economic losses.
• Current treatments for pinkeye can be labor-intensive and may not provide sustained therapeutic drug levels.
• Ocular inserts offer a potential method for prolonged and targeted drug delivery to the eye.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize novel ring-shaped ocular inserts for sustained delivery of tylosin tartrate.
• To evaluate the fabrication process and surface properties of the inserts using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).
• To assess the in vitro release kinetics of tylosin tartrate from the inserts under simulated tear conditions.

Main Methods:

• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) rings were dip-coated with a copolymer containing tylosin tartrate.
• Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used for surface flaw evaluation and fabrication quality control.
• In vitro release rates were quantified using thin-layer chromatography at simulated tear rates.

Main Results:

• SEM characterization identified and helped mitigate surface flaws, ensuring improved fabrication quality.
• The inserts demonstrated sustained release of tylosin tartrate for up to nine days.
• Release rates exceeded a few micrograms per hour even at high simulated tear rates (2 mL/hour).

Conclusions:

• Ring-shaped ocular inserts are a viable platform for sustained tylosin tartrate delivery in cattle.
• The fabrication process, optimized using SEM, leads to improved insert quality and functionality.
• These inserts represent a promising approach for effective and convenient treatment of pinkeye in cattle.