Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) aims to reduce withdrawal symptoms during smoking cessation by delivering controlled doses of nicotine without tobacco combustion. Nicotine pouches have recently emerged as a promising buccal delivery system that enables transmucosal nicotine absorption through the oral mucosa without inhalation.This study aimed to develop nicotine pouch formulations and investigate the effects of pouch material properties on nicotine release behavior. Pouch materials with different filtration structures (KF94, KF80, and H13 HEPA filter) were evaluated. In addition, surface charge modification and pouch orientation during packaging were investigated to assess their influence on nicotine release kinetics. Pouches containing nicotine were sealed using a heat sealer, and in vitro nicotine release was evaluated using a shaking incubator dissolution system.The results showed that pouch material significantly influenced the initial nicotine release profile. A difference of approximately 20% in the early release stage was observed between KF94 and KF80 materials. In addition, pouches with the rough surface oriented outward exhibited a slower initial release rate. In contrast, surface charge coating of the pouch material did not produce a statistically significant change in nicotine release behavior. Although initial release rates varied depending on pouch material and orientation, the release profiles became comparable after 60 minutes.These findings indicate that nicotine release from pouch systems is primarily governed by the structural characteristics of the pouch material rather than surface charge modification. The results suggest that nicotine pouches can be designed as controlled buccal delivery systems with tunable release profiles for NRT.
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