Author(s)

Naizhuang Wang ¹, Yaning Wang ², Jingjing Dai ², Harris Anderson ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ REALM NUTRITION SARL, 64 Rue Waldeck-Rousseau, 69006, Lyon, France
² Eternal Grace R&D Center, Gpo Lief Pte. Ltd., 128 Tuas South Ave 3, #01-05, Singapore

Corresponding Author

Naizhuang Wang

ABSTRACT

Oral delivery of highly polar or poorly soluble bioactive compounds, including glutathione (GSH), melatonin (MT), and curcumin (CUR), is significantly constrained by intestinal enzymatic degradation, extensive hepatic first-pass metabolism, and dissolution-limited absorption. To address these distinct yet critical biopharmaceutical barriers, a nanocrystal-based orodispersible film (NC-ODF) platform was developed to enhance buccal mucosal uptake and systemic bioavailability. Drug nanocrystals with mean particle sizes below 200 nm were prepared using high-pressure homogenization and incorporated into hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC)-based films via solvent casting. A randomized crossover pharmacokinetic study in healthy volunteers compared the NC-ODF formulations with conventional oral dosage forms, with plasma concentrations quantified by validated LC-MS/MS methods. The NC-ODF system enabled rapid systemic detection within 0.5-3 minutes post-administration, indicating efficient transmucosal absorption. Compared with conventional formulations, the relative bioavailability of NC-ODF significantly increased by 8.5-fold for GSH, 12-fold for MT, and 20-fold for CUR, while markedly shortening T_max (p < 0.01). Absorption rate reached 89.3%, 98.2%, and 64.7% for GSH, MT, and CUR, respectively. These findings demonstrate that nanocrystal-enabled buccal delivery via orodispersible films substantially improves systemic exposure and accelerates onset of action for bioactives with poor oral bioavailability, supporting its potential as a non-invasive and versatile alternative to conventional oral administration.

KEYWORDS

Nanocrystal-based orodispersible film, Glutathione, Melatonin, Curcumin, Buccal mucosal absorption

CITE THIS PAPER

Naizhuang Wang, Yaning Wang, Jingjing Dai, Harris Nanocrystal-Based Orodispersible Film for Rapid Systemic Delivery of Glutathione, Melatonin and Curcumin: Pharmacokinetic Enhancement via Buccal Mucosal Absorption. MEDS Clinical Medicine (2026). Vol. 7, No.2, 1-5. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/medsc.2026.070201.

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