Novel Thermosensitive and Mucoadhesive Nasal Hydrogel Containing 5-MeO-DMT Optimized Using Box-Behnken Experimental Design.
Polymers July 29, 2024 Pablo Miranda, Analía Castro, Paola Díaz et al. 5 citations
A thermosensitive mucoadhesive hydrogel for nasal delivery of the psychedelic drug 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine was developed using a mixture of Poloxamer 407, Poloxamer 188, and Hydroxypropyl-methylcellulose. A Box-Behnken experimental design optimized gelification temperature, viscosity, and mucoadhesion to increase contact time with nasal mucosa while preserving ciliary function. The final formulation gels at around 32 °C, has a viscosity near 100 mPas, and mucoadhesion of about 4.20 N·m. In vitro testing showed sustained release, with 73.76% of the drug delivered after 5 hours. Raman spectroscopy confirmed homogeneous mixing of drug and polymers. The formulation may enable future studies for treating certain mental disorders.