Mucus-penetrating nanovesicles encapsulating a novel anti-inflammatory recipe as a transmucosal remedy: Herbal extract preparation, synergistic combination, and niosomal encapsulation

Introduction: Mucositis is the oxidation and inflammation of mucosal tissues. Transmucosal delivery can be applicable with herbal plant extracts providing anti-inflammatory activity. Thus, this research aimed to formulate an anti-inflammatory remedy from extracts obtained from the Indian gooseberry (IGB) and sappan-wood heartwood (SPW) for encapsulation as mucus-penetrating nanovesicles.Methods: A suitable method was determined by maximizing antioxidant activity (AOA) and total phenolic content (TPC); the synergistic recipe was AOA and anti-inflammatory activity (AIA). The niosomal suspensions prepared by the ethanol injection method were optimized with the goal of high encapsulation efficiency and small particle size. The mucus-penetrating property was assessed by using modified Franz diffusion cells.Results: Soxhlet extraction was the most suitable method for preparing effective extracts that could rapidly provide a high extraction yield without hindering AOA and TPC. IGB and SPW were effective in AOA and AIA, respectively. Thus, an increase in SPW in the remedies raised AIA but not AOA. Despite a synergism in the AOA of all recipes, the AIA was specifically synergistic in herbal remedy 1 (HR1). It could diminish the cytotoxic effect of SPW. The niosomal suspensions containing Span60, Tween80, and cholesterol could provide nanoparticles with a high encapsulation efficiency and large particle sizes, in which the incorporation of poloxamer 407 caused a decrease in mucus penetration upon altering the diffusion mechanism.Conclusion: This research pioneered the utilization of the recipe formulated from IGB and SPW. The novel anti-inflammatory recipe developed with mucus-penetrating drug delivery is applicable for treating mucositis.