FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF LEVODOPA LOADED INTRANASAL MUCOADHESIVE NANOPARTICLES FOR TREATMENT OF PARKINSONISM
Rupesh Kumar Jain, Ashish Vishwakarma, Suneel Kumar Jain, Vivek Kumar Jain, Sameer Jain
ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to formulate and evaluate Levodopa-loaded intranasal mucoadhesive nanoparticles for the treatment of Parkinsonism. Levodopa is a commonly used drug for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, but its oral administration often leads to irregular absorption and side effects. By utilizing the mucoadhesive nanoparticle system, the aim was to enhance the drug’s bioavailability, ensure sustained release, and improve its therapeutic efficacy. Chitosan nanoparticles were prepared using the ionotropic gelation method, and the formulations (F1-F6) were optimized based on parameters such as drug entrapment efficiency, particle size, and zeta potential. The cumulative drug release study revealed a sustained release of Levodopa over 12 hours, with formulation F2 showing the best release profile (96.32%). The mean particle size for the optimized formulation (F2) was 88.23 nm, and the zeta potential was -37.45 mV, indicating good stability. Regression analysis indicated that the drug release followed first-order kinetics (R² = 0.9508). These findings suggest that the Levodopa-loaded mucoadhesive nanoparticle formulation has significant potential for improving the treatment of Parkinson’s disease by enhancing drug absorption through the nasal route, offering controlled release, and reducing side effects associated with oral dosage forms.
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