Mucosal irritation potential of polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules.
Polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules have recently gained interest as carriers for drug delivery. When envisioning mucosal administration, one is focused with potential concerns such as tissue irritation and tissue damage, induced by the carrier itself. In this paper we demonstrate the use of a slug-based (Arion lusitanicus) assay to evaluate the mucosal irritation potential of different types of polyelectrolytes, their complexes and multilayer capsules. This assay allows to assess in a simple yet efficient way mucosal tissue irritation without using large numbers of vertebrates such as mice, rabbits or non-human primates. We found that although single polyelectrolyte components do induce tissue irritation, this response is dramatically reduced upon complexation with an oppositely charged polyelectrolyte, rendering fairly inert polyelectrolyte complexes. These findings put polyelectrolyte multilayer capsules further en route towards drug delivery applications.
Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Harelbekestraat 72, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
Liesbeth J
LJ
De Cock
Joke
J
Lenoir
Stefaan
S
De Koker
Vincent
V
Vermeersch
Andrei G
AG
Skirtach
Peter
P
Dubruel
Els
E
Adriaens
Chris
C
Vervaet
Jean Paul
JP
Remon
Bruno G
BG
De Geest
D058956:Administration, Mucosal; D000818:Animals; D002214:Capsules / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000009:adverse effects*; D049851:Gastropoda; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000187:drug effects*; D011108:Polymers / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry*; D011817:Rabbits
D002214:Capsules; D011108:Polymers