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Formulation and Evaluation of Nortriptyline Mucoadhesive Buccal Film Using Xanthan Gum for Smoking Cessation Therapy


Authors : S. Radhakrishnan; R. Sambathkumar; C. Kannan; R. K. Hariprasath; S. Govindaraj; R. Hari Vigneshwaran; C. Santhosh; R. Vishnu

Volume/Issue : Volume 11 - 2026, Issue 6 - June

Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/mryyzr24

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/3mf7kynk

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/26jun964

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Abstract : Cigarette smoking continues to rank among the leading avoidable causes of mortality across the globe, responsible for millions of deaths every year. The persistence of nicotine dependence is driven mainly by two neurochemical pathways: activation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and glutamate-mediated signalling. Because nortriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant, acts on several of the neurotransmitter systems tied to addiction, it has drawn interest as a smoking-cessation aid. A drawback of the conventional oral route, however, is that the drug is heavily metabolised on first pass through the liver, which sharply curtails how much reaches the circulation. This investigation therefore focused on preparing and assessing nortriptyline-loaded mucoadhesive buccal films. Two polysaccharides, xanthan gum and sodium alginate, served as the film-forming and mucoadhesive components, helping the film cling to the mucosa and regulating the rate at which the drug was liberated. The films were cast by solvent evaporation and then examined for appearance, thickness, weight consistency, folding endurance, surface pH, disintegration time, drug loading and release behaviour. Formulation variables were narrowed down with a design-of-experiments (DoE) scheme. Every batch proved uniform and mechanically sound, and the lead formulation maintained release for as long as 7 h. Of the five, batch F3 performed best, liberating close to 97% of its drug load while adhering most strongly to the mucosal surface.

Keywords : Buccal Film; Nortriptyline; Mucoadhesion; Xanthan Gum; Smoking Cessation; Drug Delivery.

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Cigarette smoking continues to rank among the leading avoidable causes of mortality across the globe, responsible for millions of deaths every year. The persistence of nicotine dependence is driven mainly by two neurochemical pathways: activation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and glutamate-mediated signalling. Because nortriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant, acts on several of the neurotransmitter systems tied to addiction, it has drawn interest as a smoking-cessation aid. A drawback of the conventional oral route, however, is that the drug is heavily metabolised on first pass through the liver, which sharply curtails how much reaches the circulation. This investigation therefore focused on preparing and assessing nortriptyline-loaded mucoadhesive buccal films. Two polysaccharides, xanthan gum and sodium alginate, served as the film-forming and mucoadhesive components, helping the film cling to the mucosa and regulating the rate at which the drug was liberated. The films were cast by solvent evaporation and then examined for appearance, thickness, weight consistency, folding endurance, surface pH, disintegration time, drug loading and release behaviour. Formulation variables were narrowed down with a design-of-experiments (DoE) scheme. Every batch proved uniform and mechanically sound, and the lead formulation maintained release for as long as 7 h. Of the five, batch F3 performed best, liberating close to 97% of its drug load while adhering most strongly to the mucosal surface.

Keywords : Buccal Film; Nortriptyline; Mucoadhesion; Xanthan Gum; Smoking Cessation; Drug Delivery.

Paper Submission Last Date
31 - July - 2026

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