THE EFFECT OF MICROEMULSION ON DICLOFENAC SODIUM PERMEATION THROUGH CORNEA RABBIT EYE

Behzad Sharif Makhmal Zadeh and Habil Akbari


School of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

Abstract:

The bioavailability of traditional ocular drug delivery system, such as eye drops is very poor. A drawback of these preparations is that the drug is diluted by tear films. In the other hand the drug rapidly drained a way from Precorneal cavity by constant tear flow and lacrimal-nasal drainage. Prolongation of residence time with novel vehicle same as mucoadhesive materials, microemulsion and solid lipid nanoparticles will help to continuously drug delivery to the eye. The present research emphasizes the preparation and evaluation of the microemulsion of diclofenac sodium as hydrophilic drug model. For this purpose a 2³ factorial design used to investigate the combined effects of three independent variables on physicochemical and corneal permeation properties of different formulations.

Results indicated that particle size was between 10-40 nm without any significant relation between particle size and independent variables. Limited microemulsion region in phase diagram with low water solubility capacity induced low conductivity. Heating thermograms indicated transition phase around 110-140°C bellowing to surfactant film. Cooling thermograms demonstrate two transition phases belong to free and bound water in microemulsion. Microemulsion structures were studied by SEM and XRD techniques. Cubic, hexagonal and lamellar were found. In- vitro corneal permeation indicated that drug permeability increasing 7 folds in comparison with control.