Fabrication of nanoemulsion-based in situ gel using moxifloxacin hydrochloride as model drug for the treatment of conjunctivitis

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to develop a nanoemulsion-based in situ gel of Moxifloxacin Hydrochloride for ocular delivery and investigate their diffusion potential and probability of ocular irritancy. Nanoemulsions were prepared by using the water titration method which was further processed to produce in situ gel. Formulations with optimum gelation temperature were evaluated for their physicochemical characteristics and in vitro drug release. The optimum nanoemulsion in situ gel was selected for investigating its surface morphology, sterility, isotonicity, and ocular irritancy. The optimized formulation had the average droplet size and polydispersity index of 28.29 ± 0.14 nm and 0.221 ± 0.51, respectively. Furthermore, the physicochemical properties and surface morphology were found to be within the acceptable range for ocular administration. The formulation showed sustained drug release and the% cumulative drug release after 12 h was found to be 84.59%. The ocular irritancy test revealed that the optimum formulation could be easily tolerated by the eyes. Therefore, these outcomes confirmed that the strategy of using nanoemulsion-based in situ for ophthalmic delivery can be a potential alternative for the treatment of ocular conditions.