Preparation, optimization, and characterization of ivermectin microemulsion as a potential glioblastoma treatment

Abstract The prognosis for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a very aggressive brain tumor, is poor, and there are few available treatments. Various oils, cosurfactants, and surfactants were tested for solubility. A pseudo-ternary phase diagram was made using the water-titration method. Box-behenken design (BBD) was used to optimize the microemulsion, which was prepared in batches by varying the ratio of surfactant to co-surfactant. The optimised batch was evaluated for particle size (PS), polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential (ZP), %Transmittance, chemical interaction, pH, conductivity, specific gravity, drug content, in-vitro drug release, and in-silico docking. The microemulsion formulation having Transcutol HP, Tween 80, and Capmul MCM C8, showed satisfactory PS (74.9 ± 0.35 nm), PDI (0.223 ± 0.021) and ZP (−0.35 ± 0.15 mV) respectively. The in vitro cell line study in U87 cells of optimized IVM formulation shown better treatment for brain diseases. Additionally, IVM has a good binding affinity towards mTOR kinase for GBM as shown by an in-silico study. In summary, IVM-loaded MEs offer a promising approach for GBM treatment, warranting further pre-clinical evaluation.