Formulation And Optimization Of Microemulsions For Improved Amlodipine Besylate Delivery

The development and optimization of microemulsions for the intranasal delivery of Amlodipine besylate, an antihypertensive drug, were investigated to address solubility and bioavailability issues commonly associated with oral and solid dosage forms. Given the challenges of first-pass metabolism and the blood-brain barrier (BBB), intranasal delivery offers a promising alternative. This study explored microemulsions as a vehicle for enhancing drug stability and delivery efficiency. Various formulation components were evaluated, including oils, surfactants, and co-surfactants. Oleic acid emerged as the optimal oil due to its high solubilization capacity. Tween 20, with an HLB value of 16.7, and Propylene glycol were selected as the surfactant and co-surfactant, respectively. The pseudo-ternary phase diagrams were used to identify stable microemulsion regions and optimize the surfactant-to-co-surfactant ratio, resulting in a final formulation with a 2:1 ratio. The selected microemulsions were clear, transparent, and stable. Formulation ME-1, characterized by its low viscosity and globule size of 155.4 nm, showed superior performance.