DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NANOSTRUCTURED LIPID CARRIERS FOR TRANSDERMAL DELIVERY OF MELOXICAM

For transdermal delivery of meloxicam, nanostructured lipid carriers containing compritol as solid lipid, oleic acid as liquid lipid and different ratios of Pluronic F-68 were prepared. The prepared nanoparticles were characterized in terms of size, polydispersity index, zeta-potential and encapsulation efficiency. The average particle size, zeta-potential and encapsulation efficiency ranged from 134 to 491 nm, from -12.4 to -23.23 mV and from 35 to 70%, respectively. Furthermore, in vitro release for a number of selected formulations was performed using dialysis membrane in phosphate buffer saline. Drug release from free solution compared to release from nanostructured lipid carriers over a period of 48 hours was evaluated as well as release kinetic analysis was investigated. Moreover, stability of the selected formulation was studied at different time intervals. In addition, meloxicam-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers gel containing Carbopol-934 as a gelling agent was prepared. Moreover, anti-inflammatory activity of the prepared gel was evaluated using carrageenan-induced rat paw edema method. Meloxicamloaded nanostructured lipid carriers gel showed a more sustained inhibitory effect compared to free meloxicam gel. Finally, toxicity of the prepared meloxicam-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers gel was evaluated using histopathological examination.