Abstract
The present study aimed to develop a local dental nanoemulgel formulation of Nigella sativa oil (NSO) for the treatment of periodontal diseases. NSO purchased from a local market was characterized using a GC–MS technique. A nanoemulsion containing NSO was prepared and incorporated into a methylcellulose gel base to develop the nanoemulgel formulation. The developed formulation was optimized using a Box–Behnken statistical design (quadratic model) with 17 runs. The effects of independent factors, such as water, oil, and polymer concentrations, were studied on two dependent responses, pH and viscosity. The optimized formulation was further evaluated for droplet size, drug release, stability, and antimicrobial efficacy. The developed formulation had a pH of 7.37, viscosity of 2343 cp, and droplet size of 342 ± 36.6 nm. Sustained release of the drug from the gel for up to 8 h was observed, which followed Higuchi release kinetics with non-Fickian diffusion. The developed nanoemulgel formulation showed improved antimicrobial activity compared to the plain NSO. Given the increasing emergence of periodontal diseases and antimicrobial resistance, an effective formulation based on a natural antibacterial agent is warranted as a dental therapeutic agent.
Highlights
Owing to promising therapeutic effects and reduced side effects, the use of medicinal plants as therapeutic agents is currently enjoying much attention in comparison to modern allopathic medicines [1]
Several studies reported that antibiotics are often irrationally and overprescribed in dental diseases for both therapeutic and prophylactic reasons, which has led to the rapid emergence of antimicrobial resistance [12]
Nanoemulgels have been proven to be a standout candidate for their drug delivery, as they possess nanoscaled drug emulsion in a gel base
Summary
Owing to promising therapeutic effects and reduced side effects, the use of medicinal plants as therapeutic agents is currently enjoying much attention in comparison to modern allopathic medicines [1]. The seeds and oil of Nigella sativa L. are used as antihypertensives, liver tonics, diuretics, and antidiarrheal, analgesic, antibacterial, and antifungal agents (3). A role for N. sativa as a dental therapeutic agent in the treatment of periodontal diseases has been established owing to its pharmacological actions, including antibacterial, antifungal, antiplaque, wound-healing, bone-healing, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and analgesic activities [6–10]. Several studies reported that antibiotics are often irrationally and overprescribed in dental diseases for both therapeutic and prophylactic reasons, which has led to the rapid emergence of antimicrobial resistance [12]. A few preliminary studies have reported promising results when using NSO in the treatment of periodontal diseases. NSO can be used alone or in suitable combinations with other existing drugs for the effective treatment of infectious dental diseases in a manner that can overcome the problem of drug resistance [13–17]
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