Liquid crystals are substances that have the properties of both a solid and a liquid. Lyotropic liquid crystals can exhibit different mesophases, which differ from each other in terms of molecular arrangement. Based on this, lamellar, hexagonal and cubic mesophases are distinguished. Due to their specific microstructure, hexagonal and cubic mesophases are mainly being studied for the purpose of subcutaneous application for prolonged release of active substances.
As part of the master's thesis, we developed liquid anhydrous formulations with selected excipients that are suitable for injection and from which a gel with a microstructure of hexagonal or cubic liquid crystals is formed upon contact with an aqueous medium. Glycerol monolinoleate was used as the lipid phase, which is suitable for injection and can form hexagonal or cubic mesophases upon contact with an aqueous environment. We used ethanol as a hydrotropic substance, or ethanol and lecithin as a mixture of a hydrotropic substance and an emulsifier.
In the first part, we constructed two (pseudo)three-component diagrams and based on the observation of organoleptic properties, we determined the potential areas of formation of liquid crystals. The formation of liquid crystals was then confirmed or refuted by the method of polarization microscopy at 25 °C (room temperature) and 37 °C (body temperature).
In the second part, we narrowed down the set of the most optimal formulations, from which predominantly hexagonal or cubic liquid crystals were formed upon contact with water environment, to the following systems: (E/L)Gl20, (E/L)Gl30, (E/L) Gl40 and (E/L)Gl50. For these systems, we further evaluated the functional properties that are important for subcutaneous application, such as injectability, gelation time, water uptake and rheological properties of the selected samples and performed a gelation test. All four formulations were injectable and formed an in situ gel after contact with aqueous environment. For the purpose of subcutaneous application, the formulation (E/L)Gl50 proved to be the most promising in terms of hydration and rheological properties, representing a potential delivery system for subcutaneous application for prolonged release of active substances.
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