The College of Pharmacy discussed the M.Sc. thesis entitled “Formulation and In Vitro Evaluation of Betamethasone Sodium Phosphate in Situ Gelling Oral Spray “, by the student Mawadda Basim Mohammed and her supervisor, Assistant Professor Eman Bakir Hazim Al-Khedairy, at the Pharmaceutics Department.
This study aimed to develop a sprayable solution containing Betamethasone Sodium Phosphate and Hyaluronic Acid to improve the treatment of oral ulcers. The formulation is mucoadhesive and designed to transform into a gel at physiological temperature, allowing effective site-specific drug delivery. The composition was optimized using a D-optimal design to achieve the best formulation characteristics.
Thermosensitive formulations were prepared using the cold method and optimized through an experimental design program to obtain a suitable gelation temperature and time. The selected formulations were transparent, pH-neutral, easily spreadable, and injectable. The optimized formulation, composed of Poloxamer 407, Poloxamer 188, and Hyaluronic Acid, transformed into a gel at 33.3 °C within 14.8 seconds, with a gelling capacity of 2.24 hours. It demonstrated strong mucoadhesion, an appropriate viscosity for spraying, and spray angles of 42-44°. Drug release reached 97.9% within 105 minutes, showing good mucosal compatibility and stability for three months under storage conditions.
The developed mucoadhesive thermosensitive spray represents a promising topical formulation for managing oral ulcers. Its ability to adhere to the mucosal surface and provide sustained drug release enhances the therapeutic effect of Betamethasone Sodium Phosphate and Hyaluronic Acid, making it an effective, patient-friendly, and innovative therapeutic approach worthy of further in vivo and clinical evaluation.
