ACRYLIC NANOPARTICLES FOR OCULAR DRUG-DELIVERY

The efficacy of ophthalmic drug delivery systems is governed by their ability to increase the ocular residence time. Several attempts were m ade to minimize the rapid and extensive precorneal loss of the adminis tered drug. Besides the application of eyedrops with an enhanced visco sity, ocular inserts or soft contact lenses, colloidal drug carriers, such as nanoparticles or nanocapsules as well as microspheres, were ev aluated as ophthalmic delivery systems. In general, acrylic acid deriv atives like polyalkyl cyanoacrylates and polyalkyl methacrylates were used for the preparation of drug carrier particles in the size range b etween 200 and 500 nm. In the past the therapeutic goal of the majorit y of the the studies with nanoparticles was focused on the improvement of the glaucoma treatment using parasympathomimetics and beta blocker s. This review summarizes the present state of the preparation methods of acrylic nanoparticles and their application in several in vitro an d in vivo systems. Moreover, the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic e ffects after the application of drug-loaded nanoparticles to rabbit ey es were compared to conventional eyedrop preparations.