Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose stabilized clove oil nanoemulsified orodispersible films: Study of physicochemical properties, release profile, mucosal permeation, and anti-bacterial activity.

Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC)-based nanoemulsions for quick dissolving orodispersible (OD) films
were prepared to encapsulate clove oil (CO) to harness its anti-bacterial properties. The influence of additives
maltodextrin, pectin, and glycerol on the OD films was studied. The nanoemulsion particle size varied from 135
nm to 195 nm. A decrease in tensile strength and, an increase in elongation at break and opacity were observed in
OD films compared to neat HPMC film. The AFM images showed an increase in HPMC films’ average roughness
from 6.95 to 90 nm after adding CO and additives. The additives controlled CO in-vitro release from HPMC
following the Higuchi model. The ex-vivo permeation through porcine mucosal membrane was 9–33 % while the
permeation coefficient and flux were 0.282–0.879 cm s