In Situ Gels for Nasal Delivery: Formulation, Characterization and Applications

Abstract The nasal route offers many advantages for drug delivery: quick onset of action, better patient compliance, avoidance of first‐pass metabolism and bypassing the blood‐brain barrier. Despite the potential of this route, several challenges exist, such as the short drug retention time caused b...

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Main Authors: Li Qian, Michael T. Cook, Cécile A. Dreiss
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley-VCH 2025-06-01
Series:Macromolecular Materials and Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/mame.202400356
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author Li Qian
Michael T. Cook
Cécile A. Dreiss
author_facet Li Qian
Michael T. Cook
Cécile A. Dreiss
author_sort Li Qian
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The nasal route offers many advantages for drug delivery: quick onset of action, better patient compliance, avoidance of first‐pass metabolism and bypassing the blood‐brain barrier. Despite the potential of this route, several challenges exist, such as the short drug retention time caused by mucociliary clearance (MCC). In situ forming gels, which undergo a sol‐to‐gel transition with specific triggers at the site of action, present real opportunities in this field. They combine the intrinsic characteristics of hydrogels (elasticity and water‐holding capacity) with responsiveness, allowing easy application of drugs (spraying or extruding through a nozzle), as well as prolonged retention in the nasal cavity. The incorporation of mucoadhesive polymers, additives and nanocarriers can further tune the properties of in situ gels as nasal delivery platforms. This review summarizes advances in in situ gels for nasal drug delivery. We first describe challenges of the nasal route, target properties of in situ nasal gels, and then present both “classic” gelling polymers (poloxamers and polysaccharides) – which form the bulk of reported studies on nasal gels – as well as novel bespoke materials; we review characterization methods, highlighting the lack of standardization and accepted target values, then discuss applications by spraying, and conclude with future prospects.
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institution Kabale University
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1439-2054
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series Macromolecular Materials and Engineering
spelling doaj-art-650bd669137e4d27af15c87777a8ce7d2025-08-20T03:45:23ZengWiley-VCHMacromolecular Materials and Engineering1438-74921439-20542025-06-013106n/an/a10.1002/mame.202400356In Situ Gels for Nasal Delivery: Formulation, Characterization and ApplicationsLi Qian0Michael T. Cook1Cécile A. Dreiss2Institute of Pharmaceutical Science King's College London 150 Stamford Street London SE1 9NH UKUCL School of Pharmacy University College London 29–39 Brunswick Square London WC1N 1AX UKInstitute of Pharmaceutical Science King's College London 150 Stamford Street London SE1 9NH UKAbstract The nasal route offers many advantages for drug delivery: quick onset of action, better patient compliance, avoidance of first‐pass metabolism and bypassing the blood‐brain barrier. Despite the potential of this route, several challenges exist, such as the short drug retention time caused by mucociliary clearance (MCC). In situ forming gels, which undergo a sol‐to‐gel transition with specific triggers at the site of action, present real opportunities in this field. They combine the intrinsic characteristics of hydrogels (elasticity and water‐holding capacity) with responsiveness, allowing easy application of drugs (spraying or extruding through a nozzle), as well as prolonged retention in the nasal cavity. The incorporation of mucoadhesive polymers, additives and nanocarriers can further tune the properties of in situ gels as nasal delivery platforms. This review summarizes advances in in situ gels for nasal drug delivery. We first describe challenges of the nasal route, target properties of in situ nasal gels, and then present both “classic” gelling polymers (poloxamers and polysaccharides) – which form the bulk of reported studies on nasal gels – as well as novel bespoke materials; we review characterization methods, highlighting the lack of standardization and accepted target values, then discuss applications by spraying, and conclude with future prospects.https://doi.org/10.1002/mame.202400356hydrogelsin situ gellingnasal deliverynasal sprayrheology
spellingShingle Li Qian
Michael T. Cook
Cécile A. Dreiss
In Situ Gels for Nasal Delivery: Formulation, Characterization and Applications
Macromolecular Materials and Engineering
hydrogels
in situ gelling
nasal delivery
nasal spray
rheology
title In Situ Gels for Nasal Delivery: Formulation, Characterization and Applications
title_full In Situ Gels for Nasal Delivery: Formulation, Characterization and Applications
title_fullStr In Situ Gels for Nasal Delivery: Formulation, Characterization and Applications
title_full_unstemmed In Situ Gels for Nasal Delivery: Formulation, Characterization and Applications
title_short In Situ Gels for Nasal Delivery: Formulation, Characterization and Applications
title_sort in situ gels for nasal delivery formulation characterization and applications
topic hydrogels
in situ gelling
nasal delivery
nasal spray
rheology
url https://doi.org/10.1002/mame.202400356
work_keys_str_mv AT liqian insitugelsfornasaldeliveryformulationcharacterizationandapplications
AT michaeltcook insitugelsfornasaldeliveryformulationcharacterizationandapplications
AT cecileadreiss insitugelsfornasaldeliveryformulationcharacterizationandapplications