Niosomes based formulation containing tenoxicam: A newer solution for the rheumatic diseases

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Rheumatology

Background:

• Rheumatic diseases require effective anti-inflammatory treatments.
• Niosomal vesicles offer a potential drug delivery system for enhanced therapeutic outcomes.
• Tenoxicam (TN) is an anti-rheumatic drug with potential for improved delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate non-ionic surfactant based niosomal vesicles encapsulating tenoxicam (TN) for rheumatic disease treatment.
• To formulate an optimized niosomal gel for transdermal delivery.
• To assess the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity and stability of the niosomal formulation.

Main Methods:

• Niosomal formulations were prepared using mechanical dispersion with varying ratios of surfactant (span-60), lipid, and sodium deoxycholate.
• Physicochemical properties, in vitro release, and TNF-α inhibition in LPS-activated THP-1 cells were evaluated.
• The optimized formulation (TN3) was incorporated into a carbopol 934 gel (TN34) and subjected to stability testing at different temperatures.

Main Results:

• The optimized niosomal formulation (TN3) showed small vesicle size (165±14nm) and high encapsulation efficiency (79.64±1.5%).
• The niosomal gel (TN34) exhibited suitable pH (6.7), viscosity (6810±3.34 cps), and spreadability (19.11±1.87 gm.cm/sec).
• Sustained drug release (98.16±0.07% in 24h) and significant anti-inflammatory activity (∼75% TNF-α inhibition in 48h) were observed. Refrigerator temperature (4±2°C) was found most suitable for storage.

Conclusions:

• Transdermal niosomal formulation of tenoxicam demonstrates significant potential for the treatment of rheumatic diseases.
• The developed niosomal gel offers sustained release and effective anti-inflammatory action.
• Further in vivo studies are warranted to confirm therapeutic efficacy.