Nimodipine Nanoparticles: A Promising Approach for Glaucoma Management

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology and Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery

Background:

• Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness, necessitating effective intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering treatments.
• Topical nimodipine (NMD), a calcium channel blocker, has shown potential for IOP reduction, but its efficacy needs enhancement.
• Development of advanced drug delivery systems like nanoparticles can improve the therapeutic outcomes of existing drugs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize nimodipine chitosan nanoparticles (NMD-CS NPs) for improved IOP-lowering efficacy.
• To evaluate the in vitro and in vivo performance of NMD-CS NP eye drops as a potential glaucoma therapy.

Main Methods:

• NMD-CS NPs were formulated using the spontaneous-emulsification solvent diffusion method with various chitosan types (CMCS, LCS, MCS).
• Formulations were optimized and characterized for particle size, PDI, zeta potential, DSC, FTIR, and encapsulation efficiency.
• In vitro release, cytotoxicity, transcorneal permeability, and in vivo IOP-lowering effects were assessed for the optimized NMD-CS NP eye drops.

Main Results:

• Optimized NMD-CS NPs exhibited favorable physicochemical properties, including small particle size and narrow distribution.
• NMD-CS NP eye drops demonstrated sustained drug release, a Higuchi non-Fickian diffusion mechanism, and significantly enhanced corneal permeability (79.41%).
• In vivo studies showed NMD-MCS NP eye drops provided superior IOP reduction and longer duration compared to Timolol maleate.

Conclusions:

• NMD-CS NP eye drops represent a promising, non-toxic formulation for glaucoma management.
• The developed nanoparticles significantly enhance the therapeutic potential of nimodipine for IOP control.
• These findings support the advancement of NMD-CS NP eye drops as a novel preclinical glaucoma therapy.