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Glaucoma treatment with ocular medications requires overcoming the corneal barrier to drug penetration. Liposomes have a great corneal penetration ability and affinity while suffering from poor stability and low entrapment of hydrophilic drugs accompanied by rapid drug release. This work aims to develop a new, effective and stable glaucoma medication with sustained drug release properties; Timolol maleate gelatinized core liposomes. A full factorial design was utilized to study the effects of three formulation variables on drug loading and vesicle particle size. Vesicles were prepared by the thin-film hydration method, and characterized for in-vitro drug release and stability. Intra-ocular pressure (IOP) reduction was evaluated in-vivo on glaucomatous rabbit's eyes. The safety profile was assessed using histopathological examinations. Gelatin significantly increased the drug entrapment percentage reaching 50% with a particle size of 38.81 µm. Sustained drug release was recorded compared to a marketed product and to a conventional liposomal formulation. The prepared vesicles caused the highest reduction in IOP accompanied by safe histological findings. This work provided a new, safe and effective ocular glaucoma medication; Timolol maleate gelatinized core liposomes, solving the main problems of ocular liposomal formulations of hydrophilic drugs, suitable for the pharmaceutical industry and comprising abundant and relatively cheap components.
Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, African Union Authority Street, Abbassia, 11566 Cairo, Egypt. Electronic address: rania.hathout@pharma.asu.edu.eg.
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