{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,19]],"date-time":"2026-06-19T18:48:31Z","timestamp":1781894911039,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,21]],"date-time":"2025-06-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1750464000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pharmaceuticals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Enoxolon is widely recognized for its pharmacological potential, exhibiting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antiviral properties. Objectives: This study aimed to develop an enhanced formulation of enoxolone-loaded microsponges as a novel drug delivery system. A design of experiments (DoE) approach was employed for the optimization process. Methods: The microsponges were produced using the quasi-emulsion technique. The selected formulation was evaluated for yield, particle size, and entrapment efficiency. Furthermore, the microsponges were incorporated into a 1% MC solution matrix, and in vitro release studies were performed to assess their drug delivery performance. Results: The optimal formulation was determined through the DoE methodology, which involved varying the concentrations of methylcellulose (MC) (0.55\u20131.87%, w\/w), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) (0.5\u20131%, w\/w), and Tween 80 (TW80) (1.5\u20132.5%, w\/w). The results showed a particle size of 142.8 \u00b1 10.02 \u00b5m and an entrapment efficiency of 80.3 \u00b1 1.99%. When comparing the optimized microsponge formulation to pure enoxolon, a 1.29 times higher release rate was observed (p \u2264 0.05). Conclusions: Following optimizationand physicochemical characterization studies were conducted to further assess the formulation. These findings suggest that microsponge-based delivery systems hold considerable potential as an alternative platform for the topical treatment of chronic periodontitis.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ph18070938","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,24]],"date-time":"2025-06-24T10:44:41Z","timestamp":1750761881000},"page":"938","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Optimized Enoxolone-Loaded Microsponges for Drug Delivery: A Design of Experiments Approach"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0358-5759","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Juste","family":"Baranauskaite","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yeditepe University, Kayisdagi Cad., Atasehir, 34755 Istanbul, T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sedef","family":"Sefer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yeditepe University, Kayisdagi Cad., Atasehir, 34755 Istanbul, T\u00fcrkiye"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-0538-7779","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Augusta","family":"Zevzikoviene","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Analytical and Toxicological Chemistry, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Mickeviciaus Str. 9, 44307 Kaunas, Lithuania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Andrejus","family":"Zevzikovas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Analytical and Toxicological Chemistry, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Mickeviciaus Str. 9, 44307 Kaunas, Lithuania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Liudas","family":"Ivanauskas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Analytical and Toxicological Chemistry, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Mickeviciaus Str. 9, 44307 Kaunas, Lithuania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2323","DOI":"10.1002\/ptr.6178","article-title":"Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra): A phytochemical and pharmacological review","volume":"32","author":"Pastorino","year":"2018","journal-title":"Phytother. 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