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Zolmitriptan niosomal transdermal patches: combating migraine via epigenetic and endocannabinoid pathways and reversal of migraine hypercoagulability

Nancy Abdel Hamid Abou Youssef, Gihan Salah Labib, Abeer Ahmed Kassem, Nesrine S. El-Mezayen

Drug Delivery and Translational Research, 2024

7 citations

Abstract

Abstract Conventional zolmitriptan (ZOL) has limited oral bioavailability, many adverse effects, and poor membrane penetrability that negatively influences its accessibility to its 5-HT1B/1D receptor binding pocket, located transmemberanous. This work aimed at preparing transdermal ZOL-nanoformulation (niosomes) to surpass these limitations and to explore novel antimigraine mechanisms for ZOL via modulation of the epigenetically-altered chronification genes (RAMP-1, NPTX-2) or microRNAs and affecting the endocannabinoid CB-1/MAPK pathway. The prepared ZOL niosomes (Fsp60/6−1:1) exhibited %EE of 57.28%, PS of 472.3 nm, PDI of 0.366, and ZP of -26 mV were cast into patch with content uniformity of 93.12%, maintained endurance after 200-times folding, no interaction between its components (FT-IR), a biphasic release pattern and good stability after storage at 4 °C for 6 months. In-vivo ZOL-patch application in rats with nitroglycerin-induced migraine showed significant management of migraine pain symptoms and photophobia assessed behaviorally, decreased brain levels of the trigeminal neuronal activation marker (c-fos), the migraine pain neurotransmitter (CGRP) and the serum levels of different migraine pain markers (substance P, nitric-oxide, and TNF-α). It also significantly decreased RAMP-1, NPTX-2, miR-382-5p, and CB-1/MAPK gene expression reflecting improved efficacy and brain receptors delivery to a much greater extent than conventional ZOL has done. Additionally, this…

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