Nanocapsules (NCs) a type of polymeric nanoparticles has become one of the most researched nanosturctured systems in the past years due to their advantageous properties and versatile appilication. Those are able to enhance the bioavailabiliy of hydrophobic drugs by impoving their permeability, solubility and NCs can protect them from the physiological environment (e.g. enzymatic degradation, pH change). They can be used via many drug administration ways e.g. oral, nasal and ocular formulations are exisiting in liquid and solid forms. Lamotrigine (LAM) is a poorly water soluble, second generation antielpileptic drug from the phenyltriazine class, that is currently available only in tablet form. Our research group has made successful efforts to develop nasal powder form of LAM with a top down method. We envisage that a NC formulation made with bottom-up technology could also optimize the interaction between the drug and the nasal epithelium. Therefore, the aims of this study were to design, prepare and develop novel, liquid- (LPNCs) and solid phase (SPNCs) LAM-loaded chitosan NC formulation for nasal drug delivery, optimize the sample preparation methods, characterize the NCs and perform investigations in vitro and in vivo.

References:

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[2] Borrajo, E.; Abellan-Pose, R.; Soto, A.; Garcia-Fuentes, M.; Csaba, N.; Alonso, M.J.; Vidal, A. Docetaxel-loaded polyglutamic acid-PEG nanocapsules for the treatment of metastatic cancer. Journal of Controlled Release 2016, 238, 263–271.