Comparative study between simple and optimized liposomal dispersion of quetiapine fumarate for diffusion through nasal route

Abstract

Context: Nasal route of drug administration is preferred more and more for the targeted delivery to the brain in current drug development scenario due to its ease of use, reliability, quick action, and lesser side effects. Those CNS drugs which have limited oral bioavailability due to pharmacokinetic consequences and brain barrier repulsion are getting onto this direction.

Objective: Quetiapine fumarate, an analogous to above and an antischizophrenic agent, is tested for its diffusion property with and without lipophilic carrier through sheep nasal membrane. Being a BCS class II' and high permeable candidate, it tends to crossover easily, so made up in a simple dispersion.

Materials and methods: To improve its diffusion rate, it was embedded into liposomal dispersion, which has proven that it has advanced efficiency for diffusion. For this, both the formulations were checked and compared for their diffusion profile, as it is an essential property for bioavailability through nasal route. Comparison was made on the basis of % drug diffusion within 6 h, rate, mechanism, profile, and coefficient.

Results: Liposomal dispersion has been proved superior with greater percentage diffusion of 32.61 ± 1.70 and very high permeability with a coefficient value of 4.1334 ± 0.7321 (× 10 ^− 5cm/s). Diffusion profile comparison bearing dissimilarity of 18 and similarity of 74 indicated that the diffusion profiles of liposomal dispersions and simple dispersion were similar but not identical.

Conclusion: Liposomal diffusion supremacy was further sustained by in vivo, ciliotoxicity, and gamma scintigraphy studies.

• Brain targeting
• diffusion
• dispersion
• liposomes
• nasal route
• quetiapine fumarate

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank L. J. Institute of Pharmacy, LJK trust, Ahmedabad and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Saurashtra University, Rajkot, for providing the needed lab facilities. The authors also thank Infocus Diagnostic Center, Nuclear Medicine Department, Mithakhali, Ahmedabad for their kind support in mice gamma scintigraphy. The authors express their gratitude to Vav Life sciences Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai, for the generous gift of Egg Phosphatidylcholine.

Declaration of interest

The authors report that they have no conflicts of interest.