Comparison of electrospun and solvent cast polylactic acid (PLA)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) inserts as potential ocular drug delivery vehicles

Purpose The purpose of this work was to develop, characterize and compare electrospun nanofiber inserts (ENIs) and solvent cast polymeric inserts (SCIs) for ocular drug delivery. Methods ENI and SCI of 1%, 5% and 10% w/w dexamethasone were fabricated using a blend of poly-lactic acid (PLA) and poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA). Inserts were characterized for morphology, thickness, pH, drug content, drug crystallinity, in vitro drug release, sterility, dimethylformamide (DMF) and chloroform content, and cytotoxicity. Results The thickness of 1%, 5%, and 10% dexamethasone-loaded ENIs were found to be 50 μm, 62.5 μm, and 93.3 μm, respectively, with good folding endurance. SCIs were brittle, with thickness values > 200 μm. Drug release rates from 1%, 5% and 10% ENIs were found to be 0.62 μg/h, 1.46 μg/h, and 2.30 μg/h, respectively, while those from SCIs were erratic. DMF content in ENIs and SCIs were 0.007% w/w and 0.123% w/w, respectively, while chloroform was not detected. No cytotoxicity was observed from ENIs in cultured bovine corneal endothelial cells for up to 24 h. Conclusion We conclude that ENIs are better than SCIs and could be utilized as a potential delivery system for treating anterior segment ocular diseases.