Raloxifene encapsulated spanlastic nanogel for the prevention of bone fracture risk via transdermal administration: Pharmacokinetic and efficacy study in animal model

This research work is to evaluate spanlastic-loaded raloxifene (RLX) nanogel administration via the transdermal route to avoid its hepatic metabolism and to enhance the bioavailability for better management of osteoporosis. RLX-loaded spanlastic nanogel was prepared and characterized for its viscosity, pH, spreadability, and texture profile. The formulation was applied on the skin surface of the animal for pharmacokinetic evaluation, and later, the efficacy of the formulation was assessed in ovariectomized female Wistar rats. The nanogel was obtained with a viscosity (2552.66 +/- 30.61 cP), pH (7.1 +/- 0.1), and spreadability (7.1 +/- 0.2 cm). The texture properties, cohesiveness, and adhesiveness of the nanogel showed its suitability for transdermal application. Nanogel showed no sign of edema and erythema in the skin irritation test which revealed its safety for transdermal application. The t1/2 obtained for RLX-spanlastic nanogel (37.02 +/- 0.59 h) was much higher than that obtained for RLX-oral suspension (14.43 h). The relative bioavailability was found to be 215.96% for RLX-spanlastic nanogel, and the drug and formulation did not show any toxicity in any of the vital organs, as well as no hematological changes occurring in blood samples. In microarchitectural measurement, RLX-spanlastic nanogel exhibited no unambiguous deviations along with improved bone mineral density compared to the RLX suspension treated group. Transdermal administration of RLX-spanlastic nanogel showed significant improvement of drug bioavailability (approx. twice to oral administration) without any toxic effect in the treated rats. Hence, spanlastic nanogel could be a better approach to deliver RLX via transdermal route for the management of osteoporosis.

Automated summary

This research evaluates the use of spanlastic nanogel for transdermal delivery of raloxifene to improve its bioavailability and manage osteoporosis. The nanogel exhibited suitable viscosity and spreadability for transdermal application, and it did not cause skin irritation. The transdermal administration of the nanogel showed significantly higher bioavailability compared to oral administration, without any toxic effects. Therefore, spanlastic nanogel could be a better approach for delivering raloxifene via transdermal route to treat osteoporosis.