Application of Vitamin E TPGS in ocular therapeutics – Attributes beyond excipient

Diseases affecting the anterior segment and the external surface of the eye are usually treated by drugs applied topically. The formulations designed for this purpose are developed to deliver active pharmaceutical agents to the eye optimally. These formulations are prepared by adding various agents (excipients) that help to maintain stability of the formulation, prevent microbial contamination, and allow easy administration with adequate drug bioavailability with the minimum ocular irritation and toxic effects at the administration site.

Highlights

Overcoming ocular barriers is a challenge for ocular preparations.

Vitamin E TPGS is an adjuvant used as an emulsifier and stabilizer in pharmaceutical dosage forms that can improve ocular permeation of active ingredients.

Being a P-gp inhibitor, it can prevent drug nasolacrimal drainage.

Due to its antioxidant properties, it has been used in various eye disorders related to oxidative stress, such as glaucoma.

The excipients do not have their own pharmacological actions, but Vitamin E TPGS (d-α-Tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate) seems to break this notion. Besides having drug formulation enhancement properties, it also possesses antioxidant properties, which have been found to have a beneficial effect on various ophthalmological diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, uveitis, glaucoma, and cataract.

In this review, we primarily focus on the properties and applications of Vitamin E TPGS in ocular drug delivery and the benefits of Vitamin E (Vit E) in numerous sight-threatening ailments of the rear and front segment of the eye. Additionally, p-glycoprotein inhibition and the anti-cancer potential of vitamin E TPGS have also been summarized.

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Article information: Pankaj Kumar Sharma, Hanuman Prasad Sharma, Chandrashekhar Mahadeo Chakole, Jaya Pandey, Meenakshi Kanwar Chauhan, Application of Vitamin E TPGS in ocular therapeutics – Attributes beyond excipient, Journal of the Indian Chemical Society, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jics.2022.100387.