TY - JOUR AU - Thakkar, Hetal P AU - Patel, Arpita A AU - Chauhan, Nirav P PY - 2014/08/26 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Intranasal mucoadhesive microemulsion of mirtazapine: Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies JF - Asian Journal of Pharmaceutics (AJP) JA - AJP VL - 7 IS - 1 SE - Articles DO - 10.22377/ajp.v7i1.38 UR - https://asiapharmaceutics.info/index.php/ajp/article/view/38 SP - AB - The aim of this investigation was to prepare and characterize mirtazapine microemulsion for intranasal delivery, to determine its brain drug delivery using pharmacokinetic studies, and assess its performance pharmacodynamically for<br />the antidepressant activity. Mirtazapine microemulsion of different compositions were prepared by water titration method and characterized for globule size and zeta potential. Microemulsion with maximum drug solubilization, lowest globule<br />size and lowest zeta potential was considered optimal and taken for further studies with or without addition of chitosan,a mucoadhesive agent. Pharmacokinetics of optimized mirtazapine microemulsion, mucoadhesive microemulsion and mirtazapine solution were studied in brain and blood of male Wistar rats post intranasal and oral administration. Despair Swim test, locomotor activity and plus maze test were carried out in rats in order to compare therapeutic activity of the drug formulation for oral and intranasal route. Brain/blood uptake ratios were found to be highest for mirtazapine mucoadhesive<br />microemulsion (MMME) followed by mirtazapine microemulsion (MME) post‐intranasal administration compared to oral delivery of microemulsion. Significant (P &lt; 0.05) reduction in assessed pharmacodynamic parameters was observed after intranasal administration of MMME against control group. This investigation demonstrates a more rapid and larger extent of transport of mirtazapine into the brain with intranasal MMME, which may prove useful in treating depression.<br /><br /> ER -