ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Analysis of chloroquine phosphate and cetirizine hydrochloride loaded liposomal formulations for dual drug delivery: stability, release kinetics, and pharmaceutical insights

Kenechukwu Keluo Onyechi, Ifeanyi Thaddeus Nzekwe, Chinenye Adaobi Igwegbe, and Pius Chukwukelue Onyechi

Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria

E-mail: kk.onyechi@unizik.edu.ng

Received: 25 October 2024  Accepted: 17 April 2025

Abstract:

Liposomal formulations have emerged as promising avenues for drug delivery, offering improved therapeutic outcomes through precise control of release and targeted delivery. This study presents a novel approach to liposomal drug delivery by co-formulating chloroquine phosphate and cetirizine hydrochloride within a single liposomal system, a strategy not extensively explored in existing literature; our research explores the synergistic potential of dual-drug delivery. Comprehensive stability analysis using ultraviolet–visible absorption spectra, pH, viscosity, conductivity, particle size, and zeta potential revealed significant insights into formulation stability, with passive formulations showing superior characteristics. Advanced characterization techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, uncover detailed structural information and drug entrapment capabilities, highlighting both the initial advantages and long-term oxidative degradation challenges of active formulations. In vitro drug release from the liposomal formulation was assessed following the United States Pharmacopeia twenty-third (USP-XXIII) dissolution rate model, and formulation-dependent release kinetics were examined via zero-order, first-order, Higuchi, Hixson Crowell, and Korsmeyer–Peppas models. The results demonstrated the compatibility of both drugs within a single matrix. Passive formulations exhibited superior stability, while active formulations exhibited accelerated release kinetics. Drug release from the liposomal matrix followed the Hixson–Crowell drug release model (R² > 0.9), confirming that the primary mechanism of drug release involves dissolution through changes in particle surface area and diameter, as well as matrix-controlled diffusion. This study contributed to the advancement of liposomal drug delivery systems, potentially enhancing treatment outcomes while optimization remains imperative for ensuring stability and therapeutic efficacy.

Keywords: Combination drug therapy; Drug Delivery; Pharmaceutics; Pharming; Therapeutics; Drug Development; Liposomal formulations; Drug delivery; Stability assessment; Encapsulation efficiency; In vitro release kinetics; Zeta potential

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-025-04072-x

Chemical Papers 79 (8) 4901–4923 (2025)