Oro-
dental diseases are generally associated with
pain that is controlled using oral
tablets containing
NSAIDs.
Lornoxicam, a relatively new
NSAID, is effective in relieving
pain accompanying different oro-dental problems. The aim of the current research is to prepare oro-dental
analgesic and anti-inflammatory gel using provesicular approach to deliver
lornoxicam directly to the site of action in the oral cavity. Local administration of
lornoxicam is expected to be superior to systemic delivery in
pain relieving and poses less GIT adverse effects. Different
surfactants were utilized to prepare the proniosomal
gels that rapidly transform into nano-sized
niosomes after hydration with the oral saliva. The effect of the
surfactant structure on vesicles size distribution and entrapment efficiency percentage (EE%) was investigated. The proniosomal formulations were incorporated into
carbopol hydrogels that were characterized regarding rheological and mucoadhesion properties. Moreover, ex-vivo mucosal membrane permeation studies were conducted for selected proniosomal
gels to quantify the permeation parameters and assess the amount of
drug deposited within the oral mucosa. Results revealed that mucoadhesive proniosomes formulation prepared using
Span 60 was optimal as it was nano-sized and also showed the highest EE%. The transmucosal flux of
lornoxicam, from these proniosomal formulations, across the oral mucosa was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than
lornoxicam containing
carbopol gel and the percent
drug diffused increased more than twofolds. The results collectively suggest that the mucoadhesive proniosomal
gels can be assertively considered as a promising carrier for transmucosal delivery of
lornoxicam into the oral cavity.