Affiliation:
1. Department of Pharmaceutics, Krupanidhi College of Pharmacy, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560035, India
Abstract
Background:
The liposomal inhalation of drugs has been extensively researched for the
invasion of biofilms and macrophages in the infected lungs.
Objective:
The present study aimed to explore the in vitro and in vivo effects of elastic nano-lipid
vesicles of aztreonam for pulmonary delivery.
Methods:
Elastic nano lipid vesicles of the drug were successfully prepared with the commonly
abundant lung phospholipids (LIPOID S PC-3, LIPOID PC 16:0/16:0), cholesterol, and span 20.
Four such formulations were evaluated for their physicochemical properties, in vitro diffusion, and
cytotoxicity. The best formulation was subjected to stability, in vivo drug deposition on the pneumonic
lungs, and histopathological studies.
Results:
The characterization of the lipid vesicles in terms of particle size, zeta potential, and surface
morphology confirmed the formation of stable nanolipid vesicles of the drug. The presence of
surfactant in the lipid vesicles exhibited high bilayer stability, entrapment, and diffusion of the
drug. The in vitro diffusion study revealed the biphasic characteristic with an initial burst, followed
by sustenance for 8 h. A remarkable drug uptake was observed in the epithelial cell line of
CHO Cricetulus griseus in the presence of surfactant. The drug was retained on the pneumonic
lungs for 8 h. The histopathological study of lung tissue revealed that surfactant-based lipid vesicles
could attenuate lung fibrosis significantly.
Conclusion:
It can be concluded that elastic nano lipid vesicular system of aztreonam could be a
paradigm for targeting and localization of the drug with a long residence time in the lungs.
Publisher
Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
Subject
Biomedical Engineering,Pharmaceutical Science