Lipid-based intravesical drug delivery systems with controlled release of trospium chloride for the urinary bladder

The overactive bladder (OAB) is a common disease with an overactivity of the detrusor muscle in the bladder wall. Besides peroral administration of anticholinergic drugs and bladder irrigations, there is a need for a sustained release formulation in the urinary bladder. In order to realise a local long-term treatment of the overactive urinary bladder, lipidic drug delivery systems were prepared. Requirements for an intravesical application are a long-term controlled release of trospium chloride, a high drug loading and small sized drug carriers to permit an insertion through the urethra into the urinary bladder. The drug delivery systems were manufactured by using compression (mini-tablets), solid lipid extrusion (extrudates) and a melting and casting technique (mini-moulds) with different amounts of trospium chloride and glyceryl tristearate as matrix former. Drug release depended on the drug loading and the preparation method. Mini-tablets and lipidic extrudates showed a drug release over five days, whereas that from mini-moulds was negligibly small. The appearance of polymorphic transformations during processing and storage was investigated by using differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction. In contrast to mini-tablets andmini-moulds, lipidic extrudates showed no polymorphic transformations. In summary, lipids are suitable matrix formers for a highly water-soluble drug, like trospium chloride. Despite a drug loading of up to 30%, it was feasible to achieve a drug release ranging from several days up to weeks. In addition, small dosage forms with a size of only a few millimetres were realised. Therefore, an insertion and excretion through the urethra is possible and the requirements for an intravesical application are fulfilled. (C) 2013 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.