Formulation and Evaluation of Hybrid Niosomal In Situ Gel for Intravesical Co-Delivery of Curcumin and Gentamicin Sulfate
Viliana Gugleva,
Victoria Michailova,
Rositsa Mihaylova,
Georgi Momekov,
Maya Margaritova Zaharieva,
Hristo Najdenski,
Petar Petrov,
Stanislav Rangelov,
Aleksander Forys,
Barbara Trzebicka,
Denitsa Momekova
Affiliations
Viliana Gugleva
Department of Pharmaceutical Technologies, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Varna, 84 Tsar Osvoboditel Str., 9000 Varna, Bulgaria
Victoria Michailova
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Sofia, 2 Dunav Str., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
Rositsa Mihaylova
Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacotherapy and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Sofia, 2 Dunav Str., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
Georgi Momekov
Department of Pharmacology, Pharmacotherapy and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Sofia, 2 Dunav Str., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
Maya Margaritova Zaharieva
Department of Infectious Microbiology, The Stephan Angeloff Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 26 Acad. G. Bonchev Str., 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Hristo Najdenski
Department of Infectious Microbiology, The Stephan Angeloff Institute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 26 Acad. G. Bonchev Str., 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Petar Petrov
Institute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, bl.103 Akad. G. Bonchev Str.,1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Stanislav Rangelov
Institute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, bl.103 Akad. G. Bonchev Str.,1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
Aleksander Forys
Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. M. Curie-Skłodowskiej 34, 41-819 Zabrze, Poland
Barbara Trzebicka
Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials, Polish Academy of Sciences, ul. M. Curie-Skłodowskiej 34, 41-819 Zabrze, Poland
Denitsa Momekova
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Sofia, 2 Dunav Str., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
The current study describes the elaboration of a hybrid drug delivery platform for an intravesical application based on curcumin/gentamicin sulfate simultaneously loaded niosomes incorporated into thermosensitive in situ gels. Series of niosomes were elaborated via the thin film hydration method, evaluating the impact of non-ionic surfactants’, cholesterol’s, and curcumin’s concentration. The formulation composed of equimolar ratio of Span 60, Tween 60, and 30 mol% cholesterol was selected as the optimal composition, due to the high entrapment efficiency values obtained for both drugs, and appropriate physicochemical parameters (morphology, size, PDI, and zeta potential), therefore, was further incorporated into Poloxamers (407/188) and Poloxamers and chitosan based in situ gels. The developed hybrid systems were characterized with sol to gel transition in the physiological range, suitable rheological and gelling characteristics. In addition, the formed gel structure at physiological temperatures determines the retarded dissolution of both drugs (vs. niosomal suspension) and sustained release profile. The conducted microbial studies of selected niosomal in situ gels revealed the occurrence of a synergetic effect of the two compounds when simultaneously loaded. The findings indicate that the elaborated thermosensitive niosomal in situ gels can be considered as a feasible platform for intravesical drug delivery.
