Transdermal nortriptyline hydrocloride patch formulated within a chitosan matrix intended to be used for smoking cessation

Objective: The aim of this study was to prepare and characterize both physically and biopharmaceutically, a nortriptyline hydrochloride (NTP-HCl) patch formulated in chitosan.Methods: 16 g of each chitosan patch formulation (I, II and III, see ) was poured onto rectangular glass plates (64 cm2) at a height of 1 mm and dried for 24 h at room temperature. In order to characterize the chitosan patches, polarized microscopy, in vitro skin permeation studies by passive diffusion and iontophoresis and rheological and bioadhesion studies were performed.Results: Polarized microscopy revealed the absence of aggregates and crystal forms of NTP-HCl in all transdermal patches after 30 days of storage. The rheological behavior of Patches I, II and III was predominantly elastic. The low level of adhesion of Patch III (containing PF-127 + 1-dodecanol) could be a result of the interactions between chitosan and PF-127 in the presence of 1-dodecanol. Patches I and II had approximately the same value of adhesion (≈ 60 mN.mm...