Development and Characterization of Cyclodextrin-Based Nanogels as a New Ibuprofen Cutaneous Delivery System

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Materials Science
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Nanogels integrate hydrogel and nanocarrier properties for effective drug delivery, particularly for topical applications.
• Cyclodextrins (CDs) improve drug loading and release profiles in nanogels, but often require modified CDs or crosslinkers.
• Developing crosslinker-free CD-based nanogels is crucial for safer and more efficient topical drug delivery systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a crosslinker-free cyclodextrin-based nanogel for improved cutaneous delivery of ibuprofen.
• To utilize soluble β-cyclodextrin/epichlorohydrin polymer (EPIβCD) for enhanced drug loading and sustained release.
• To evaluate the performance of the EPIβCD nanogel compared to conventional formulations.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a cyclodextrin-based nanogel using EPIβCD without additional crosslinkers.
• Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) to characterize nanostructure size (60-400 nm).
• In vitro permeation studies using artificial membranes to assess ibuprofen delivery.

Main Results:

• EPIβCD facilitated nanogel formation, enhancing ibuprofen loading and prolonging drug release.
• The EPIβCD nanogel increased ibuprofen permeation through artificial skin membranes by up to 3.5 times.
• Replacing EPIβCD with HPβCD resulted in faster initial release but lacked sustained release due to absent nanostructure.

Conclusions:

• The developed EPIβCD-based nanogel offers a promising crosslinker-free system for enhanced cutaneous delivery of poorly soluble drugs like ibuprofen.
• This formulation improves drug solubility, loading, and provides sustained release, outperforming reference and commercial gels.
• The nanogel structure is essential for controlling drug diffusion and achieving prolonged release, highlighting the importance of EPIβCD's role.