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Levosulpiride is a medication with poor aqueous solubility and a high hepatic first-pass effect, which significantly reduces its oral absorption and therapeutic effectiveness [^1^]. To overcome these challenges, researchers have extensively investigated the use of niosomes as a transdermal vesicular nanocarrier for the delivery of low permeable compounds [^1^].
Designing and Optimizing Levosulpiride-Loaded Niosomal Gel
In a recent research study, scientists aimed to design, develop, and optimize a niosomal gel formulation of levosulpiride for transdermal delivery [^1^]. The study utilized the Box-Behnken design to analyze the impact of three factors (cholesterol, Span 40, and sonication time) on two response variables (particle size and entrapment efficiency) [^1^].
The experimental data revealed that all three independent variables significantly influenced both the particle size and entrapment efficiency of the niosomes (p < 0.01) [^1^]. The optimized formulation, referred to as NC, exhibited desirable pharmaceutical properties, including the absence of drug-excipient interaction, nanosize (~102.2 nm), narrow distribution (~0.218), adequate zeta potential (-49.9 mV), and a spherical shape [^1^]. These characteristics make the niosomal gel suitable for transdermal therapy.
Pharmaceutical Properties and Drug Release Study
The pharmaceutical characteristics of the levosulpiride-loaded niosomal gel were thoroughly examined [^1^]. The study found that the niosomal gel formulation exhibited a significantly different release rate compared to the control gel formulation (p < 0.01) [^1^]. Furthermore, the flux of levosulpiride through the skin was significantly greater in the niosomal gel formulation (p < 0.01) [^1^].
Enhanced Absorption and Bioavailability
The in vivo absorption of levosulpiride from the niosomal gel formulation was evaluated, and the results were compared to the control formulation [^1^]. The drug plasma profile of the niosomal gel formulation showed significantly higher levels of levosulpiride compared to the control formulation (p < 0.005) [^1^]. The niosomal gel exhibited approximately three times higher Cmax (maximum plasma concentration) and greater bioavailability (approximately 500% higher; p < 0.0001) [^1^]. These findings suggest that the optimized niosomal gel formulation can increase the therapeutic efficacy of levosulpiride and may serve as a promising alternative to conventional therapy.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the use of a properly designed and optimized niosomal gel formulation can enhance the therapeutic efficacy of levosulpiride [^1^]. By overcoming the challenges of poor aqueous solubility and hepatic first-pass effect, transdermal delivery of levosulpiride through niosomes offers a promising approach for improving its oral absorption and overall therapeutic effectiveness [^1^]. Further research and development in this area could lead to innovative transdermal drug delivery systems for levosulpiride, benefiting patients and healthcare providers alike.
References
1. Reference Article 1
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