The College of Pharmacy discussed the Ph.D. thesis tagged “Preparation, in-vitro Characterization, and Nose to Brain Study of Tizanidine as Intranasal Nano-emulsion in Situ Gel” by the student Ahmed Yousef Fadhel and her supervisor Professor Dr. Nawal Ayash Rajab in the pharmaceutics department. In this study, a new dosage form for tizanidine intranasal nanoemulsion in situ gel (NIG) was prepared. The oil phase, surfactant, and cosurfactant utilized in the preparation of the nanoemulsion are based on the solubility of tizanidine in these components in order to choose the right components. The aqueous titration approach (low energy emulsification) was used to prepare twenty four nanoemulsion formulas. To prepare a nanoemulsion in situ gel (NIG), the selected NE formula was used with a thermoreversible polymer (poloxamer 407). Drug content, sol-gel transition temperature, viscosity, spreadability, gelation time, and in-vitro drug release were all assessed for NIG formulas, in addition to pH and excipient compatibility studies by FTIR. The selected formula NIG2 is used for in-vivo brain study on rabbits and compare it with conventional in situ-gel (IG). In-vivo brain study of selected formula NIG2, show significant increase in AUC and Cmax in the cerebrospinal fluid of brain (P < 0.05) in compare it with in situ gel (IG) prepared by the conventional method. The study’s results indicated the possibility of application of nanoemulsion (NE) technology in the formulation of nanoemulsion in situ gel (NIG) as intranasal for tizanidine and their following applications in increment of intranasal brain delivery by improving the drug permeability and absorption
