Table 3.

Pharmacokinetic parameters of PUE in aqueous humor after topical administration in the conscious rabbits $(\overline{X}\pm \text{SD},\mathrm{n}=3)$

Preparation	Tmax (h)	Cmax (μg·mL−1)	AUC (μg·mL−1·h)	T1/2 (h)	MRT (h)	VRT (h)
Solution	0.33	0.49±0.12	1.01±0.23	0.53±0.16	1.13±0.35	0.81±1.43
Formulation 1	0.67	0.59±0.30*	2.95±0.25**	0.12±0.21	1.06±0.31	1.68±1.28
Formulation 2	0.67	0.64±0.09*	2.22±0.36**	0.13±0.22	1.48±0.33	1.68±0.65
Formulation 3	0.67	0.83±0.28*	2.35±0.35**	1.92±0.06**	1.23±0.24	1.56±1.21

Notes: Solution was PUE and SCU mixed solution; formulation 1 was lipid nanoparticles; formulation 2 was lipid nanoparticles with QACMC as a cationic material; and formulation 3 was lipid nanoparticles with QACMC and Gelucire^®44/14 as a cationic material and penetration enhancer, respectively.

^*p<0.05 versus PUE solution;

^**p<0.01 versus PUE solution.

Abbreviations: T_max, time to peak concentration; C_max, maximum concentration of PUE; AUC, area under the curve; T_1/2, half-life time; MRT, average residence time; VRT, retention time variance; PUE, puerarin; SCU, scutellarin; SD, standard deviation; QACMC, octadecyl quaternized carboxymethyl chitosan.