Treatment for chemical burning using liquid crystalline nanoparticles as an ophthalmic delivery system for pirfenidone

Some recent studies have shown that pirfenidone (PFD) has favorable results in the healing process of the cornea. However, PFD in solution exhibits short half-life after topical application, and in this context, a liquid crystal nanoparticle system containing PFD (PFD-LCNPs) was developed. The nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, small angle X-ray diffraction and polarized light microscopy. The PFD-LCNPs had particle size and zeta potential of 247.3 nm and -33.60 mV (stores at 4 degrees C), respectively, and 257.5 nm and -46.00 mV (stored at 25 degrees C), respectively. The pH of the formulation was 6.9 and the encapsulation efficiency was 35.9%. The in vitro release profiles indicated that PFD sustained release from PFD-LCNPs for up to 12 h. In vitro study of ocular irritation (HET-CAM test) concluded that components of the formulation are well tolerated for ocular administration. Corneal re-epithelialization time after chemical burning was significantly reduced in rabbits treated with PFD-loaded LCNPs when compared to the group treated with a vehicle. In addition, the anti-inflammatory action of pirfenidone was observed by reducing myeloperoxidase activity (MPO) and inflammatory cells in the histology of the tissues of animals treated with PFD-LCNPs. These findings indicated that the PFD-LCNPs might have the potential for effective ocular drug delivery.