Diclofenac Sodium Gingival Patches for Localized Periodontitis Therapy: Preparation, Characterization, and In Silico Evaluation
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Periodontitis is chronic inflammatory disease of the gingiva and periodontal ligament that causes connective tissue and alveolar bone damage. This study aimed to develop a diclofenac sodium (DS) gingival patch for localized anti-inflammatory therapy and to evaluate its molecular interactions through in silico analysis. Patches were prepared and characterized to identify the optimized composition, while docking studies using AutoDock 4.2 assessed inhibitory effects on tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B (PTP-1B), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). The optimized F3 using ratio sodium carboxymethylcellulose (SCMC) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) (2:1) exhibited desirable properties, including high diffusion rate, good folding endurance, and a favorable swelling index. Tegaderm backing membrane effectively restricted drug loss, ensuring unidirectional diffusion. Docking results showed strong binding affinities of DS to TNF-α (–8.46 kcal/mol), PTP-1B (–7.15 kcal/mol), and ERK (–7.05 kcal/mol), with stable ligand–protein complexes indicating higher biological efficacy. Overall, the gingival patch showed potential as a localized drug delivery system, while the in silico results suggested that DS may exhibit anti-inflammatory activity.
Language: English
Subfield: Pharmaceutical Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4415364478