Objective: Tibetan hulless barley β-glucan (THBG) is a natural bioadhesive material. The present study was aimed at developing a THBG-based mucoadhesive gel of resveratrol

a potential cancer therapeutic agent richly obtained from the roots of Polyclonum cuspidatum and some other traditional Chinese medicines with low oral bioavailability

for nasal systemic delivery. Method: A 2% resveratrol nasal gel was prepared with 4% THBG as a matrix and 1% menthol as a penetrant

and characterized in terms of its physical properties (including pH

viscosity

gel strength

water holding capacity and mucoadhesion)

in vitro cumulative release and in vitro transmucosal cumulative delivery in porcine olfactorymucosa. The administration convenience of a specially designed controllable nasal injector and mucosa irritancy of the selected gel were also evaluated in healthy volunteers. Result: The nasal gel was found to exhibit pseudoplastic rheology with properties of high viscosity

low gel strength

high water holding capacity

strong mucoadhesion

good spreadability

easy administration and no irritation. The percents of cumulative release in vitro and transmucosal cumulative delivery in vitro at 8h were 93.86% and 62.46% respectively

and the drug release behavior in two tests were observed to fit the Weibull distribution model well. Conclusion: The results demonstrated that the THBG-based nasal gel of resveratrol is a patient-friendly dosage form with desirable bioadhesion

distribution

and release performance

and the THBG is suitable for using as the matrix of mucoadhesive preparations.