Development of Mucoadhesive Thio-Carboxymethyl Cellulose for Application in Buccal Delivery of Drugs

Abstract

Aim: L-cysteine (CYS) was covalently attached to carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) to obtain the thiolated conjugate CMCCYS. Methodology & results: CMCCYS and controls were investigated in terms of safety, disintegration, erosion and mucoadhesiveness. Furthermore, mechanical, physicochemical properties, mucoadhesive strength, swelling behavior and residence time were evaluated. Exhibiting 99.61 ± 2.51% cell viability, CMCCYS was considered as non toxic at all. Furthermore, CMCCYS displayed 2.8-fold higher polymer stability as well as 5.8-fold less erosion than unmodified CMC. Mucoadhesive strength assay displayed 1.6-fold improved adhesion on buccal mucosa as well as 2.7-fold improved mucoadhesiveness on the rotating cylinder. Conclusion: Chemical modification of well-known CMC encourage further evaluation and application of the mucoadhesive potential for the buccal delivery.

Keywords:

• buccal delivery
• carboxymethyl cellulose
• mucoadhesion
• polymer
• thiomer

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the slaughterhouse Josef Mayr in Natters for providing the porcine mucosa.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.