Peripheral neuropathic pain remains a major clinical challenge due to its multifactorial pathophysiology and the limited efficacy of available therapies. Gabapentin, an anticonvulsant agent, has shown potential in alleviating neuropathic pain symptoms; however, its therapeutic performance is restricted by poor aqueous solubility and dose-dependent adverse effects. Nano emulsion-based delivery systems offer a promising strategy to overcome these limitations by enhancing solubility, stability, and targeted delivery to peripheral nerves. In the present study, the authors developed a gabapentin-loaded nanoemulsion. The developed nanoemulsion was optimized through systematic excipient screening, construction of pseudo-ternary phase diagrams, and comprehensive evaluation of physicochemical and performance parameters. The optimized formulation demonstrated a cumulative drug release with 97.42 ± 1.23 % (n = 3) within 2 h, indicating rapid and efficient drug release kinetics. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the uniform nanoscale droplet morphology, while rheological analysis revealed favorable viscosity and spreadability characteristics. The ex vivo skin permeation study revealed a marked improvement in transdermal delivery of gabapentin, which was further supported by FT-IR and DSC results showing disruption of the skin’s lipid bilayer after treatment. The observations from confocal laser scanning microscopy confirmed that the formulation enabled deeper penetration of the drug into the skin layers. These results indicate that the optimized gabapentin nanoemulsion could enhance bioavailability and enable targeted delivery, offering promise for the management of peripheral neuropathic pain. However, the authors also highlight that in vivo efficacy studies will be essential to validate these findings and fully establish the therapeutic potential of the microemulsion.
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