Formulation and Evaluation of Moxifloxacin Hydrochloride Loaded Cubosomal Gel for Ocular Delivery

Abstract

This study aimed to develop and evaluate an ocular, prolonged-release cubogel formulation of moxifloxacin hydrochloride (MX) to treat conjunctivitis. Using glycerol monooleate and poloxamer 407 in varying concentrations, a cubosome containing the antibiotic MX was developed using a top-down approach. Further, by dispersing optimized cubosomes in a cold in-situ gelling system, MX cubogels were prepared.  Following Higuchi's release kinetic model, formulations MA4, MA8, MA11, and MA14 released 95.84, 95.77, 97.45, and 97.68% of MX after 12 hours. The in-vitro corneal permeation study showed that the goat cornea absorbed 81% of MX cubogel than conventional formulations. From the results of antibacterial and histopathological studies, the selected formulations were safe for ocular administration. This study concluded that MX cubogel may be a suitable alternative to conventional eye drops due to its increased permeability and sustained release characteristics. Keywords: Conjunctivitis, Cubosome, Glycerol monooleate, Moxifloxacin hydrochloride Poloxamer 407