Formulation And Evaluation Of Mucoadhesive Microspheres Of Nitroglycerine For Nasal Delivery

Abstract

Formulate and evaluate mucoadhesive polymeric microspheres of Nitroglycerine for intranasal delivery to bypass hepatic first-pass metabolism, extend mucosal residence time, and provide controlled antianginal therapy. Microspheres were prepared by emulsification cross-linking using Chitosan with glutaraldehyde. Formulations were evaluated for yield, particle size, entrapment efficiency, swelling index, in vitro mucoadhesion, and ex vivo permeation across sheep nasal mucosa. Optimized microspheres were spherical (15-42 µm) with a drug entrapment efficiency of 70.90%–81.76%. They demonstrated high mucoadhesive strength adhesion at 1 hour i.e. 61.17-72.45% and a biphasic release profile: a rapid initial burst within 15 minutes followed by controlled, diffusion-controlled drug release over 8 hours. Mucoadhesive microspheres are a viable, non-invasive system for intranasal Nitroglycerine delivery, offering a promising alternative for both acute and prophylactic management of angina pectoris.