CELECOXIB NIOSOMAL IN-SITU GEL AS A VALUABLE DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR OCULAR INFLAMMATION

Niosomes are promising nanocarriers for ocular drug administration since they have the potential to enhance the bioavailability and efficacy of different drugs. Meanwhile, topical gels are beneficial for the treatment of ocular inflammation as they improve corneal permeability and increase the contact time with the eye surface. The main purpose of this study was to prepare and evaluate novel niosomal gels for intraocular delivery of celecoxib. Different niosomes were prepared using different surfactants (span 60 and span 40) and cholesterol (30-50 mol %). The optimized formulation made with span 40 and cholesterol (7:3 molar ratio) has a relatively high encapsulation efficiency (~57%) with reasonable particle size for ocular delivery (~348 nm) and showed the highest release of ~65% after 24 hrs compared to other formulations. The optimized niosomal formulation was then used to prepare various formulations of celecoxib in-situ gel and topical hydrogels. The niosomal gels were well tolerated by the eye and showed similar celecoxib corneal permeation. However, the in-situ gel showed a higher anti-inflammatory effect compared to the topical hydrogel and a commercially available diclofenac eye drop. The results shown in this study indicate that celecoxib niosomal in-situ gel is a valuable drug delivery system for ocular inflammation.