{"title":"Intravitreal CBD-loaded niosomes enhance retinal neuroprotection in ischemic injury","authors":"Carolina Nunes Silva , Lays Fernanda Nunes Dourado , Bárbara Leão Agata , Maísa Angélica Silva Fernandes , Marina França Dias , Sílvia Ligorio Fialho","doi":"10.1016/j.ejpb.2025.114705","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cannabidiol (CBD) has emerged as a promising treatment for conditions like retinal ischemia, characterized by reduced blood flow to the retina and significant vision loss. Despite its therapeutic potential, CBD’s clinical application could be limited by due to its low bioavailability. This study investigates the efficacy of CBD-loaded niosomes as a neuroprotective formulation for the use in ocular therapies related to retinal ischemia. We investigated the neuroprotective effects of CBD using a nanodispersed system (niosomes) administered via intravitreal injection in rats’ eyes. Niosomes underwent characterization for size, distribution, zeta potential, morphology, and encapsulation efficiency. Safety and neuroprotective activity were assessed by electroretinography (ERG), confocal and transmission microscopy and histology. Niosomes exhibited nanometric size (100–400 nm) and stability, showing good tolerance in animals. ERG results demonstrated higher b-wave amplitudes in animals pre-treated with niosomes + CBD compared to the control group following ischemic injury induced by a sudden increase in IOP. Histological and confocal microscopy analyses of retinas from the niosomes + CBD group showed preserved structure compared to the ischemic control group, suggesting significant retinal protection by intravitreally injected niosomes + CBD before ischemia. CBD-loaded niosomes effectively preserved retinal function, highlighting the neuroprotective potential of CBD against retinal ischemia. This formulation presents a promising and innovative treatment for ischemic retinal diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12024,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics","volume":"211 ","pages":"Article 114705"},"PeriodicalIF":4.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0939641125000827","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PHARMACOLOGY & PHARMACY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Cannabidiol (CBD) has emerged as a promising treatment for conditions like retinal ischemia, characterized by reduced blood flow to the retina and significant vision loss. Despite its therapeutic potential, CBD’s clinical application could be limited by due to its low bioavailability. This study investigates the efficacy of CBD-loaded niosomes as a neuroprotective formulation for the use in ocular therapies related to retinal ischemia. We investigated the neuroprotective effects of CBD using a nanodispersed system (niosomes) administered via intravitreal injection in rats’ eyes. Niosomes underwent characterization for size, distribution, zeta potential, morphology, and encapsulation efficiency. Safety and neuroprotective activity were assessed by electroretinography (ERG), confocal and transmission microscopy and histology. Niosomes exhibited nanometric size (100–400 nm) and stability, showing good tolerance in animals. ERG results demonstrated higher b-wave amplitudes in animals pre-treated with niosomes + CBD compared to the control group following ischemic injury induced by a sudden increase in IOP. Histological and confocal microscopy analyses of retinas from the niosomes + CBD group showed preserved structure compared to the ischemic control group, suggesting significant retinal protection by intravitreally injected niosomes + CBD before ischemia. CBD-loaded niosomes effectively preserved retinal function, highlighting the neuroprotective potential of CBD against retinal ischemia. This formulation presents a promising and innovative treatment for ischemic retinal diseases.
期刊介绍:
The European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics provides a medium for the publication of novel, innovative and hypothesis-driven research from the areas of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics.
Topics covered include for example:
Design and development of drug delivery systems for pharmaceuticals and biopharmaceuticals (small molecules, proteins, nucleic acids)
Aspects of manufacturing process design
Biomedical aspects of drug product design
Strategies and formulations for controlled drug transport across biological barriers
Physicochemical aspects of drug product development
Novel excipients for drug product design
Drug delivery and controlled release systems for systemic and local applications
Nanomaterials for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes
Advanced therapy medicinal products
Medical devices supporting a distinct pharmacological effect.