Therapeutic nanoemulsions in ophthalmic drug administration: Concept in formulations and characterization techniques for ocular drug delivery

Abstract

The eye is the specialized part of the body and is comprised of numerous physiological ocular barriers that limit the drug absorption at the action site. Regardless of various efforts, efficient topical ophthalmic drug delivery remains unsolved, and thus, it is extremely necessary to advance the contemporary treatments of ocular disorders affecting the anterior and posterior cavities. Nowadays, the advent of nanotechnology-based multicomponent nanoemulsions for ophthalmic drug delivery has gained popularity due to the enhancement of ocular penetrability, improve bioavailability, increase solubility, and stability of lipophilic drugs. Nanoemulsions offer the sustained/controlled drug release and increase residence time which depend on viscosity, compositions, and stabilization process, etc.; hence, decrease the instillation frequency and improve patient compliance. Further, due to the nanosized of nanoemulsions, the sterilization process is easy as conventional solutions and cause no blur vision. The review aims to summarizes the various ocular barriers, manufacturing techniques, possible mechanisms to the retention and deep penetration into the eye, and appropriate excipients with their under-lying selection principles to prevent destabilization of nanoemulsions. This review also discusses the characterization parameters of ocular drug delivery to spike the interest of those contemplating a foray in this field. Here, in short, nanoemulsions are abridged with concepts to design clinically advantageous ocular drug delivery.

Keywords: Lipophilic drugs; Nanoemulsions; Ocular barriers; Ophthalmic drug delivery; Sustained release.