The College of Pharmacy discussed the PhD dissertation entitled “Preparation, Characterization and Oral Bioavailability Study of Nisoldipine Bilosomes” by the student Ghada Hamid Naji and the supervisor, Assistant Professor Dr. Fatima Jalal Jawad, at the Pharmaceutics Department. The study aimed to investigate the potential of soft nanovesicular carriers (bilosomes) to achieve prolonged drug release and improve the oral delivery of nisoldipine by enhancing its bioavailability.The study included the preparation of nisoldipine-loaded bilosomes using the thin film hydration method. The effect of several variables, such as the type of surfactant, surfactant-to-cholesterol ratios, varying bile salts types and concentrations, different cholesterol percentages, and different drug amounts was investigated. The vesicles’ size, entrapment efficiency, polydispersity index (PDI), and in-vitro release studies were performed to characterize all of the prepared vesicles. The selected formula was further investigated for its zeta potential and morphology by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that bilosomal formula (F11), composed of 2.4% span 60 as a surfactant, 0.8% cholesterol, and 0.01% sodium deoxycholate (SDC), displayed the smallest particle size (175.73 nm ± 0.39), with PDI of (0.19 ± 0.03) and entrapment efficiency (82.36%±0.80). In-vitro release study showed a biphasic release pattern characterized by an initial burst phase after that sustained release over a 24-hour period. Approximately (94.1%) of the drug was released during this period, and the release mechanism followed a non-Fickian anomalous transport. TEM images of the F11 formula show spherical vesicles in the nano-sized range. The study recommended that bilosomal carriers could be a promising delivery strategy to enhance the oral bioavailability of nisoldipine, as these carriers can provide sustained drug release.
