Effect of buffers on the properties of microbicidal hydrogels containing monoglyceride as the active ingredient

Hydrogel formulations containing the monoglyceride monocaprin have shown potent microbicidal activity against several sexually transmitted viruses and bacteria. It is recommended that formulations for preventing infection in the vagina have a low pH as the HIV virus is inactivated at low pH. The object of the work was to investigate how incorporation of buffers into the hydrogel formulations affects physicochemical properties and microbicidal activity of the active substance. Two series of gels were formulated using carbomer (Carbopol 934) and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (NaCMC) as gel-forming agents. The presence of buffers in the gels caused a lowering in gel viscosity, with carbomer gels being more sensitive to buffer presence than NaCMC gels. To obtain viscosity similar to that of a gel without buffer, the amount of polymer needs to be increased. An increase in the amount of NaCMC by 60-70% is needed to obtain the same viscosity as in gel without buffers; but for carbomer, the amount of polymer needs to be doubled. It appears that the effect of maleate buffer on NaCMC gel formation is greater than that of the citrate/lactate buffer; but for carbopol gels, the effects of the buffer systems tested on gel viscosity were equal. The virucidal activity of NaCMC gel buffered with citrate/lactate buffer against herpes simplex virus type 1 and HIV was not reduced by the presence of buffer. The results show that the presence of buffers in the hydrogel formulations affects gel viscosity, but the virucidal effect of the active compound, monocaprin, is not diminished.