Clinical Pharmacology & Biopharmaceutics
Open Access

Abstract

Cromolyn Sodium (CS) is a natural drug extracted from Ammi visnaga. Since its first introduction in 1968, CS has been used successfully in treating many medical conditions including allergic disorders and skin conditions. Because of its chemical structure, CS may be considered a surfadrug (we proposed this term as blend of surface active drug), able to self-associate in several kind of supramolecular aggregates such as liquid crystals. Consequently, the main idea of this work was to exploit the natural properties of CS to produce different supramolecular systems in which CS could play the role of both carrier and drug, bypassing the use of additional excipient and increasing the system biocompatibility. Monomeric and isotropic solutions (0.5 and 5 wt% of CS), niosomal suspensions (0.5 wt% of CS), nematic (15 wt% of CS) and hexagonal phases (30 wt% of CS) were selected as supramolecular systems and their effects on diffusion and percutaneous permeation were investigated. Results demonstrated that niosomes gave the higher percutaneous permeation profile while isotropic solution and liquid crystals mesophases acted as slower release reservoir of drug on the skin surface, as confirmed by diffusion coefficients. Diffusion rates through a synthetic membrane were dependent both on CS concentration present into the formulations and on its structural organization: Maximum diffusion was noticed with isotropic solution, a lower diffusion was achieved by hexagonal phase. Consequently, Cromolyn sodium appears a versatile surfadrug as, depending on the disease degree, it is possible to modulate its permeation profile by choosing the most appropriate formulation.

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