Date of Award
5-1-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.S. in Pharmaceutical Science
First Advisor
Mohammed Maniruzzaman
Second Advisor
Mohammed Maniruzzaman
Third Advisor
Micheal Repka
School
University of Mississippi
Relational Format
dissertation/thesis
Abstract
Malaria remains a major global health burden. Artemether- a first-line treatment for malaria, is limited by its poor aqueous solubility, variable oral bioavailability, and formulation instability. This study aimed to develop and characterize mucoadhesive electrospun buccal nanofiber patches of artemether designed to enhance solid-state dispersion and provide controlled transmucosal delivery. Four formulations were prepared by electrospinning using Eudragit RS-100, zein, and PVP K90, varying drug loading and patch architecture into monolithic and bilayer systems. The formulations were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry, FTIR, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, mucoadhesive testing, entrapment efficiency analysis, in vitro drug release, kinetic modeling, and dissolution similarity testing. Electrospinning produced smooth, bead free nanofibers with high drug incorporation, while XRD and DSC confirmed marked reduction in artemether crystallinity, particularly in F1, indicating successful amorphization within the polymer matrix. F1 exhibited the highest entrapment efficiency (87.42 ± 2.39%), whereas F2 showed lower encapsulation (74.40 ± 2.56%), consistent with the effect of higher drug loading. In vitro release studies demonstrated sustained artemether release over 360 min, with Higuchi kinetics providing the best fit across formulations; F3 showed the highest correlation (R² = 0.9295). All f2 similarity values were below 50, confirming distinct dissolution profiles among formulations. Overall, the results demonstrate that electrospun buccal nanofibers can effectively convert artemether into an amorphous, diffusion controlled delivery system, with bilayer low loading formulation, F3 emerging as the most promising candidate for buccal malaria therapy.
Recommended Citation
Paspohe, Shivani Pravin, "Development of Mucoadhesive Electrospun Nanofiber Buccal Patch for Anti-Malarial Drug Delivery" (2026). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 8861.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/8861