Development and characterization of sublingual films for enhanced bioavailability of selegiline hydrochloride

Low oral bioavailability of selegiline hydrochloride (SH) is primarily due to extensive first-pass metabolism and hence the need for an alternative pathway of administration. Herein, we report the development of sublingual SH films. The films were formulated with varying polymer composition (F1-F6) and evaluated for physicochemical characteristics, in vitro drug release and ex vivo permeation studies. The film F2 demonstrated satisfactory weight (10.60 mg), folding endurance (>200), drug content (11.44 mg/cm²), disintegration time (68 s), mucoadhesive strength (47.7 N/cm²), and controlled release for 30 min. The permeation studies exhibited a higher ex vivo sublingual flux than that of the plain drug. This study concludes that the SH film can provide a potential opportunity for sublingual drug delivery.