DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF DOXYCYCLINE LOADED TEA TREE OIL BASED NANOEMULGEL FOR PERIODONTITIS

The subgingival microenvironment in periodontitis presents an aggressive physiological barrier due to the constant upward flow of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF). Establishing a prolonged, controlled retention system inside the periodontal pocket is essential for clinical success. This study aimed to develop a thermoreversible in situ nanoemulgel loaded with Doxycycline (DOX) and Tea Tree Oil (TTO) to achieve targeted, sustained anti-infective activity. O/W nanoemulsions were prepared via high-shear mechanical stirring and ultrasonication using TTO as the lipid core, Tween 20 as a surfactant, and Propylene Glycol (PG) as a co-surfactant. The optimized nanoemulsion (F3) was incorporated into a thermoreversible in situ gelling matrix composed of Poloxamer 407 (15% w/v) and HPMC K100M (5% w/v). Optimized nanoemulsion droplets exhibited an average vesicle size within the ideal submicron range, satisfactory zeta potential, and narrow polydispersity. In situ gelation transitioned perfectly at simulated periodontal temperature (38.09 °C). Ex vivo permeation studies across goat oral mucosa demonstrated a highly controlled, non-Fickian anomalous diffusion pathway (99.46 ± 0.04% release over 12 hours) compared to immediate exhaustion from plain gels (97.73 ± 0.15% at 6 hours). The study concludes that the developed in-situ nanoemulgel offers a sustained, controlled drug release profile through the synergistic action of the nanoemulsion’s oil globules and the dense polymeric matrix of the in-situ gel minimizes total dose requirements, reduces dosing frequency, and enhances patient compliance.