Pharmacokinetic Study of Abacavir Sulphate Loaded Niosomes and Proniosomes in Rats

The plasma pharmacokinetic study of abacavir sulphate was investigated after oral administration of free abacavir sulphate solution, freshly prepared niosomal and proniosomal abacavir sulphate dispersions. The abacavir sulphate loaded niosome vesicles were prepared by the thin-film hydration method and proniosomes were prepared by the slurry method using tween 60 as surfactant cholesterol as a membrane stabilizer and dicetyl phosphate as a negative charge inducer. Maltodextrin was used as a carrier in the proniosome formulations. The formulations were evaluated for various evaluation parameters such as drug-polymer interaction, phase identification analysis and in vivo pharmacokinetic study. The comparative pharmacokinetics of free, niosome encapsulated and proniosome encapsulated abacavir sulphate was evaluated in rats at a dose of 8.57 mg/kg of abacavir sulphate. The results of niosome and proniosome encapsulated abacavir sulphate showed a significant increase in bioavailability and prolonged release characteristics. Increased half-life of 3.40 h in the case of niosomes and 4.88 h in the case of proniosomes were observed. Based on the results, it can be concluded that niosomal and proniosomal formulation could be a promising delivery system for abacavir sulphate with improved oral bioavailability and prolonged drug release profiles.

Automated summary

In this study, the plasma pharmacokinetics of abacavir sulphate were investigated after oral administration of different formulations. The results showed that both niosomal and proniosomal encapsulation of abacavir sulphate significantly increased its bioavailability and prolonged release characteristics. The half-life of the drug also increased in both formulations. It can be concluded that niosomal and proniosomal formulations are promising delivery systems for abacavir sulphate, with improved oral bioavailability and prolonged drug release profiles.