Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Development of Abelmoschus esculentus (Okra)-Based Mucoadhesive Gel for Nasal Delivery of Rizatriptan Benzoate

Nitin Sharma^1,2 , Giriraj T Kulkarni³, Anjana Sharma²

¹Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Kukatpally, Hyderabad, 500085, India; ²Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Meerut Institute of Engineering and Technology, NH- 58, Baghpat Crossing, Byepass Road, Meerut, 250005, India; ³Laureate Institute of Pharmacy, Kathog, Teh. Dehra, Dist. Kangra, 177101, India.

For correspondence:- Nitin Sharma Email: sharma.nitin0909@gmail.com Tel:+911212439019

Received: 11 May 2012 Accepted: 5 February 2013 Published: 24 April 2013

Citation: Sharma N, Kulkarni GT, Sharma A. Development of Abelmoschus esculentus (Okra)-Based Mucoadhesive Gel for Nasal Delivery of Rizatriptan Benzoate. Trop J Pharm Res 2013; 12(2):149-153 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v12i2.3

© 2013 The authors.
This is an Open Access article that uses a funding model which does not charge readers or their institutions for access and distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0) and the Budapest Open Access Initiative (http://www.budapestopenaccessinitiative.org/read), which permit unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly credited..

Abstract

Purpose: To develop a safe mucoadhesive gel for nasal drug delivery using okra polysaccharide.

Methods: Rizatriptan benzoate nasal gel was developed using natural polysaccharide obtained from the Abelmoschus esculentus. The gel formulation was characterized for pH, viscosity, mucoadhesion, and in vitro permeation. Permeation parameters obtained include drug flux (j), permeation coefficient (k_P) and lag time (t_L). The effect of sodium thioglycollate and sodium taurocholate on permeation of the gel formulations was evaluated using excised goat nasal mucosa.

Results: Okra gel formulation showed good properties in terms of pH, viscosity and mucoadhesion. The drug was able to permeate through the goat nasal mucosa within 255 min. The test okra nasal gel, with and without enhancer, showed superior permeation properties to gels prepared with synthetic polymers - hydroxylpropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (NaCMC). For example, drug flux (j) of okra nasal gel formulation and gel formulations made with HPMC and NaCMC was 134.8, 120.9 and 84.8, respectively.

Conclusion: Okra mucilage is a promising natural and safe gel former that can be developed to serve as an alternative to currently used synthetic gel formers for nasal drug delivery.

Keywords: Mucilage, Abelmoschus esculentus, Nasal gel, Rizatriptan, Permeation, Mucoadhesion