Georgios K Eleftheriadis1, Christos S Katsiotis1, Dimitrios A Andreadis2, Dimitrios Tzetzis3, Christos Ritzoulis4, Nikolaos Bouropoulos5,6, Dimitra Kanellopoulou6, Eleftherios G Andriotis1, John Tsibouklis7, Dimitrios G Fatouros1. 1. Department of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. 2. Department of Oral Medicine/Pathology, School of Dentistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece. 3. School of Science and Technology, International Hellenic University, Thermi, Greece. 4. Department of Food Science and Technology, International Hellenic University, Thessaloniki, Greece. 5. Department of Materials Science, University of Patras, Patras, Greece. 6. Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Institute of Chemical Engineering and High Temperature Chemical Processes, Patras, Greece. 7. School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, United Kingdom.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The inkjet printing (IP) and fused deposition modeling (FDM) technologies have emerged in the pharmaceutical field as novel and personalized formulation approaches. Specific manufacturing factors must be considered in each adopted methodology, i.e. the development of suitable substrates for IP and the incorporation of highly thermostable active pharmaceutical compounds (APIs) for FDM. In this study, IP and FDM printing technologies were investigated for the fabrication of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-based mucoadhesive films for the buccal delivery of a thermolabile model drug. Significance: This proof-of-concept approach was expected to provide an alternative formulation methodology for personalized mucoadhesive buccal films. METHODS: Mucoadhesive substrates were prepared by FDM and were subjected to sequential IP of an ibuprofen-loaded liquid ink. The interactions between these processes and the performance of the films were evaluated by various analytical and spectroscopic techniques, as well as by in vitro and ex vivo studies. RESULTS: The model drug was efficiently deposited by sequential IP passes onto the FDM-printed substrates. Significant variations were revealed on the morphological, physicochemical and mechanical properties of the prepared films, and linked to the number of IP passes. The mechanism of drug release, the mucoadhesion and the permeation of the drug through the buccal epithelium were evaluated, in view of the extent of ink deposition onto the buccal films, as well as the distribution of the API. CONCLUSIONS: The presented methodology provided a proof-of-concept formulation approach for the development of personalized mucoadhesive films.
OBJECTIVE: The inkjet printing (IP) and fused deposition modeling (FDM) technologies have emerged in the pharmaceutical field as novel and personalized formulation approaches. Specific manufacturing factors must be considered in each adopted methodology, i.e. the development of suitable substrates for IP and the incorporation of highly thermostable active pharmaceutical compounds (APIs) for FDM. In this study, IP and FDM printing technologies were investigated for the fabrication of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-based mucoadhesive films for the buccal delivery of a thermolabile model drug. Significance: This proof-of-concept approach was expected to provide an alternative formulation methodology for personalized mucoadhesive buccal films. METHODS: Mucoadhesive substrates were prepared by FDM and were subjected to sequential IP of an ibuprofen-loaded liquid ink. The interactions between these processes and the performance of the films were evaluated by various analytical and spectroscopic techniques, as well as by in vitro and ex vivo studies. RESULTS: The model drug was efficiently deposited by sequential IP passes onto the FDM-printed substrates. Significant variations were revealed on the morphological, physicochemical and mechanical properties of the prepared films, and linked to the number of IP passes. The mechanism of drug release, the mucoadhesion and the permeation of the drug through the buccal epithelium were evaluated, in view of the extent of ink deposition onto the buccal films, as well as the distribution of the API. CONCLUSIONS: The presented methodology provided a proof-of-concept formulation approach for the development of personalized mucoadhesive films.