Non-invasive drug delivery system for the delivery of protein/peptide using neem gum and its derivatives

Abstract

The present investigation is continuation of author’s previous work. In previous work, the author was prepared acrylamide grafted copolymer of neem gum and carboxymethylatedneem gum derivatives. Neem gum polysaccharide (NGP) and its derivatives viz. acrylamide grafted neem gum (NGP-g-Am) and carboxymethylated neem gum (CMNGP) were explored as film forming agent for transdermal delivery of protein/peptide drug (albumin). It was observed that films were not prepared at all the concentrations of NGP with a given concentration range. Studies show that film cannot be prepared using CMNGP even at ahigher concentration of polymer (2 % w/v solution). So only acrylamide grafted neem gum based film were prepared and evaluated. Transdermal films were prepared by using solvent casting method. The developed films were evaluated for various parameters such as drug content, folding endurance, thickness, weight variation, surface pH, moisture uptake, in vitro drug release study and ex-vivo permeation study. The films showed more than 300 folding endurance which demonstrated the good mechanical strength of film. It was also observed that after permeation studies small cracks were also formed in the films. Fabricated films were able to deliver drug upto 7 h. Drug release study and drug permeation studies showed that formulations followed zero order and KorsmeyerPepass model of kinetics. It can be concluded from the findings of the results that acrylamide graft copolymers of neem gum were able to deliver protein/peptide drugs through transdermal route.