Formulation and Evaluation of a Biodegradable Polymeric Implant Containing Pouzolzia wightii Crude Extract for Potential Anticancer Activity

Abstract

Medicinal plants continue to provide valuable sources of bioactive compounds for
pharmaceutical development, while biodegradable polymeric drug-delivery systems offer
opportunities to improve the sustained release and localized delivery of therapeutic agents.
Pouzolzia wightii (Urticaceae) is a medicinally important species whose phytochemical
composition and biological activities warrant further investigation. The present study aims
to formulate and evaluate a biodegradable polymeric implant incorporating a standardized
crude extract of Pouzolzia wightii for sustained release and potential anticancer application.
The present study was undertaken to formulate and evaluate a biodegradable polymeric
implant containing crude extract of Pouzolzia wightii Benn. for potential anticancer drug
delivery. The plant material was collected, authenticated, shade-dried, powdered and
extracted using ethanol. The obtained crude extract was subjected to preliminary
phytochemical screening to identify the major bioactive constituents. A biodegradable
polymeric implant was prepared by incorporating the plant crude extract into a suitable
biodegradable polymer matrix using the extrusion method. The prepared implants were
evaluated for physical characteristics, extract content, swelling behaviour, degradation
properties, mechanical characteristics, surface morphology and in-vitro release profile. The
biodegradable implant was designed to provide sustained and controlled release of
phytoconstituents, which may enhance the therapeutic potential of the plant extract while
minimizing frequent administration. The study is expected to provide preliminary evidence
for the development of a plant-based biodegradable implant using Pouzolzia wightii crude
extract as a potential approach for localized and sustained anticancer therapy. Further in-
vivo pharmacological and toxicological studies are required to establish its safety and
therapeutic efficacy.