Formulation and Evaluation of Hydrophilic Polymer Based Methotrexate Patches: In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization

Muhammad Shahid Latif; Fatemah F Al-Harbi; Asif Nawaz; Sheikh Abdur Rashid; Arshad Farid; Mohammad Al Mohaini; Abdulkhaliq J Alsalman; Maitham A Al Hawaj; Yousef N Alhashem

doi:10.3390/polym14071310

Formulation and Evaluation of Hydrophilic Polymer Based Methotrexate Patches: In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization

Polymers (Basel). 2022 Mar 24;14(7):1310. doi: 10.3390/polym14071310.

Authors

Muhammad Shahid Latif¹, Fatemah F Al-Harbi², Asif Nawaz¹, Sheikh Abdur Rashid¹, Arshad Farid³, Mohammad Al Mohaini^{4

5}, Abdulkhaliq J Alsalman⁶, Maitham A Al Hawaj⁷, Yousef N Alhashem⁸

Affiliations

¹ Advanced Drug Delivery Lab, Gomal Centre of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan 29050, Pakistan.
² Department of Physics, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia.
³ Gomal Center of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan 29050, Pakistan.
⁴ Basic Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Alahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Alahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Northern Border University, Rafha 91911, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Clinical Pharmacy, King Faisal University, Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia.
⁸ Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department, Mohammed Al-Mana College for Medical Sciences, Dammam 34222, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

This study attempted to develop and evaluate controlled-release matrix-type transdermal patches with different ratios of hydrophilic polymers (sodium carboxymethylcellulose and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose) for the local delivery of methotrexate. Transdermal patches were formulated by employing a solvent casting technique using blends of sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC-Na) and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC) polymers as rate-controlling agents. The F1 formulated patch served as the control formulation with a 1:1 polymer concentration. The F9 formulation served as our optimized formulation due to suitable physicochemical properties yielded through the combination of CMC-Na and HPMC (5:1). Drug excipient compatibilities (ATR-FTIR) were performed as a preformulation study. The ATR-FTIR study depicted great compatibility between the drug and the polymers. Physicochemical parameters, kinetic modeling, in vitro drug release, ex vivo drug permeation, skin drug retention, and in vivo studies were also carried out for the formulated patches. The formulated patches exhibited a clear, smooth, elastic nature with good weight uniformity, % moisture uptake, drug content, and thickness. Physicochemical characterization revealed folding endurance ranging from 62 ± 2.21 to 78 ± 1.54, tensile strength from 9.42 ± 0.52 to 12.32 ± 0.72, % swelling index from 37.16 ± 0.17 to 76.24 ± 1.37, and % drug content from 93.57 ± 5.34 to 98.19 ± 1.56. An increase in the concentration of the CMC-Na polymer (F9) resulted in increased drug release from the formulated transdermal patches. Similarly, drug permeation and retention were found to be higher in the F9 formulation compared to the other formulations (F1-F8). A drug retention analysis revealed that the F9 formulation exhibited 13.43% drug retention in the deep layers of the skin compared to other formulations (F1-F8). The stability study indicated that, during the study period of 60 days, no significant changes in the drug content and physical characteristics were found. ATR-FTIR analysis of rabbit skin samples treated with the formulated transdermal patches revealed that hydrophilic polymers mainly affect the skin proteins (ceramide and keratins). A pharmacokinetic profile revealed C_max was 1.77.38 ng/mL, T_max was 12 h, and t_1/2 was 17.3 ± 2.21. In vivo studies showed that the skin drug retention of F9 was higher compared to the drug solution. These findings reinforce that methotrexate-based patches can possibly be used for the management of psoriasis. This study can reasonably conclude that methotrexate transdermal matrix-type patches with CMC-Na and HPMC polymers at different concentrations effectively sustain drug release with prime permeation profiles and better bioavailability. Therefore, these formulated patches can be employed for the potential management of topical diseases, such as psoriasis.

Keywords: hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC); methotrexate; sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC-Na); transdermal drug deliveries (TDDs); transdermal patches.