The aim of this research topic is to develop and characterize an orally disintegrating tablet of donepezil-loaded nanoparticles as a potential oral mucosal drug delivery system for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease in geriatric patients. To achieve this aim the students will assess the incorporation of donepezil in liposomal formulations. The liposomes will be prepared using the extrusion technique available in-house. The adhesive capacity of the nanoparticles will be assessed in vitro with mucus producing HT29-MTX cells. Uptake of donepezil will be assessed in vitro using TR146 human buccal carcinoma cells. Assessment of permeability will also be performed ex vivo using freshly prepared Rabbit buccal mucosa. Freshly prepared buccal mucosa will be mounted between the donor and receptor compartments of the diffusion cell ensuring that the smooth surface of the mucosa faces the donor compartment.
Challenges
Geriatric patients require special consideration during drug formulation design and drug administration process. There is evidence for clinically relevant swallowing issues in geriatric patients, especially when considering frail, multi-morbid, and poly-medicated patients. Dysphagia raises challenges to swallow conventional oral dosage forms effectively and safely and leads to poor adherence and inappropriate alterations, such as crushing or splitting a tablet. As an emerging platform for drug delivery, an orally disintegrating tablet containing drug-loaded nanoparticles has provided a more convenient and suitable alternative oral dosage form for geriatric patients. It can possess a key benefit, which is to improve compliance and clinical efficacy to yield better therapeutic outcomes.
Methods
Engineering
Medicine
Chemistry
Biology
Pharmacy
Academic Majors of Interest
Biomedical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering - Materials Science
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Biology
Biochemistry
Biomedical Sciences
Neurosciences
Preferred Skills
Cell culture
Drug formulation
In vivo studies
Wet lab analytical skills
High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)
biomaterials characterization
Students
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