Fabrication and Evaluation of Celecoxib Oral Oleogel to Reduce the Inflammation of Ulcerative Colitis

Oleogel consists of hydrophobic solvent and an oleogelator. In this study, attempts were made to study the influence of Celecoxib solubility, concentration and dispersability on its release, absorption, and biological performance. Oleogels were prepared to study the formulation variables on its stability and release. Castor oil was selected as the oil and the oleogelator concentration was 4.5% w/w. F3 revealed the highest release and stability compared to other formulae. The percent permeated across the rat intestine showed a 7.5-fold increase over free Celecoxib, and its lifetime was found to be greater than 18 months. The efficacy of free Celecoxib and oleogel formulae to treat rats with ulcerative colitis was done via the induction of ulcerative colitis (UC) through administration of 5% dextran sodium sulphate (DSS). Celecoxib besides its formulae significantly reduced the release of Leucine rich 2 glycoprotein (LRG), Myeloperoxidase (MPO), Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), proinflammatory cytokine expression, High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-Kappa B), Trefoil Factor 3 (TFF3), Metalloproteinase-3 (MMP3), and miRNA31. Moreover, F3 significantly increased the colonic cAMP in DSS treated rats and reduced the intestinal inflammation beside healing of mucosa and restitution of the epithelium of the gastrointestinal tract.

Automated summary

The study investigated the effects of Celecoxib solubility, concentration, and dispersability on its release, absorption, and biological performance in oleogel formulations. Among the formulations, F3 showed the highest release and stability, leading to a significant increase in drug permeation across the rat intestine. Furthermore, the oleogel formulation demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects and promoted intestinal healing in rats with ulcerative colitis.