Preparation and characterization of bioadhesive controlled-release gels of cidofovir for vaginal delivery

Abstract

The aim of this study was to develop mucoadhesive and thermosensitive gels for vaginal delivery that would be able to provide a controlled release of the model drug, cidofovir. The study also monitored the drug’s potential antiviral properties. Cidofovir was put into the form of a vaginal gel, using mucoadhesive and thermosensitive polymers such as chitosan, Carbopol 974P, HPMC, and poloxamer 407. The physicopharmaceutical properties and stability of the vaginal gel formulations were evaluated. The gel formulation which was prepared with HPMC K100M exhibited the highest viscosity, as well as maximum adhesiveness, cohesiveness, and mucoadhesion values. The results of antiviral activity studies, which used the bovine herpes virus type 1 virus infection in vitro model using Vero cells, demonstrated the antiherpetic effect of the cidofovir gel containing HPMC K100M, at least under in vitro conditions. The study found that a mucoadhesive vaginal gel containing cidofovir can be a promising and innovative alternative therapeutic system for the treatment of genital herpes simplex virus and human papilloma virus induced infections in women.

Keywords:

• genital herpes simplex
• human papilloma virus
• mucoadhesive polymers
• HPMC
• carbopol
• thermosensitive polymer
• texture profile analysis
• cytotoxicity

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Gilead Sciences Inc. (USA), BASF (Germany) and Colorcon (England).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a research grant from the Gazi University Research Foundation [grant number BAP 02/2006-08]; Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) [grant number SBAG 2807-104S324].