Design and assessment of nanostructured lipid carriers for topical application of Cimicoxib

Cimicoxib-loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLCs) using the ultrasonication method highlights the effectiveness of this technique in producing stable and efficient drug delivery systems. The optimized lipid and surfactant composition played a vital role in achieving high drug entrapment and uniform carrier formation, consistent with recent findings that emphasize the importance of formulation parameters in NLC development. The in vitro release profile demonstrated an initial burst followed by sustained release, characteristic of NLCs with drug encapsulated within the lipid matrix. The higher release at pH 7.4 compared to pH 5.5 suggests that the drug release is influenced by the environmental pH, which could be leveraged for targeted delivery. These release kinetics fitting the Higuchi model indicate a diffusion-controlled mechanism, as corroborated by similar studies on lipid-based nanocarriers. The statistical analysis confirmed the significance of the observed differences in particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, and drug release profiles, supporting the reproducibility and reliability of the formulation process.