Enhancing the solubility and dose delivery of drospirenone through oxidized regenerated cellulose hydrogel compound with liposome system

Abstract

At present, contraceptive drugs such as Drospirenone (DROP) encounter challenges stemming from their abbreviated half-life and constrained efficacy. Therefore, the imperative arises to formulate innovative strategies that not only prolong the duration of action but also enhance the overall effectiveness of these drugs. This study introduces a two-step delivery system designed to overcome the limitations associated with DROP applications. Initially, a Drospirenone liposome (LIP/DROP) complex was meticulously prepared. Subsequently, this complex was immobilized within a cellulose-based hydrogel, constructed from aldehyde-replaced oxidized regenerated cellulose (AC) and chitosan (CS), employing Schiff base reaction crosslinking. The encapsulation efficiency achieved an impressive 84.9% (±0.73), accompanied by an 878-fold increase in solubility. Notably, each 0.35 g of the hydrogel demonstrated the capacity to load 96.48 mg of DROP. TEM was used to observe the particle size and morphology of LIP/DROP. SEM and FTIR were employed to investigate the structure and surface morphology of the prepared hydrogel and AC. The properties of the hydrogel related to the application of drug delivery, including swelling, mechanical, bacterial inhibition, and cytotoxicity were meticulously investigated. Moreover, the drug release rate of the prepared LIP hydrogel was assessed over 400 h (9%–40%), demonstrating its potential for sustained release of DROP. These improvements in solubility and stability offer promise for expanding the utilization of DROP in contraceptive applications.