Local anesthetic lidocaine delivery system: chitosan and hyaluronic acid-modified layer-by-layer lipid nanoparticles

Context: Transdermal local anesthesia is one of the most applied strategies to avoid systemic adverse effects; there is an appealing need for a prolonged local anesthetic that would provide better bioavailability and longer pain relief with a single administration. Objective: Layer-by-layer (LBL) technique was used in this study to explore a nanosized drug delivery system for local anesthetic therapy. Materials and methods: LBL-coated lidocaine-loaded nanostructured lipid nanoparticles (LBL-LA/NLCs) were prepared and characterized in terms of particle size (PS), zeta potential, drug encapsulation efficiency (EE), in vitro skin permeation and in vivo local anesthetic studies. Results: Evaluation of the in vitro skin permeation and in vivo anesthesia effect illustrated that LBL-LA/NLCs can enhance and prolong the anesthetic effect of LA. Discussion and conclusion: LBL-LA/NLCs could function as a promising drug delivery strategy for overcoming the barrier function of the skin and could deliver anesthetic through the skin with sustained release behavior for local anesthetic therapy.