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Published on: January 14, 2020
Formulation and evaluation of flurbiprofen microemulsion.
K W Ambade1, S L Jadhav, M N Gambhire
1Department of Pharmaceutics, Bharati Vidyapeeth's College of Pharmacy, CBD Belapur, Sector-8, Navi-Mumbai, India.
This study developed microemulsions for topical Flurbiprofen (FP) delivery, bypassing gastrointestinal issues. Optimized formulations containing Isopropyl Myristate (IPM) showed superior anti-inflammatory effects and skin safety compared to gel cream.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Dermatology
Background:
- Gastrointestinal adverse effects limit oral Flurbiprofen (FP) use.
- Topical drug delivery offers an alternative route to bypass systemic side effects.
- Microemulsions present a potential vehicle for enhanced topical drug permeation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate microemulsion formulations for topical Flurbiprofen (FP) delivery.
- To evaluate and optimize microemulsions for enhanced transdermal permeation and efficacy.
- To assess the safety of microemulsion formulations for topical application.
Main Methods:
- Development of pseudoternary phase diagrams for microemulsion formulation.
- Preparation of microemulsions using Isopropyl Myristate (IPM) or Ethyl Oleate (EO) as oil phases, Aerosol OT, and Sorbitan Monooleate.
- In vitro transdermal permeability studies using Keshary-Chien diffusion cells with excised rat skin.
- Optimization using a 2(3) factorial design.
- In vivo anti-inflammatory studies evaluating carrageenan-induced rat paw edema.
- Histopathological examination of rat skin.
Main Results:
- Flurbiprofen (FP) exhibited higher in vitro permeation from IPM-based microemulsions compared to EO-based ones.
- Optimized IPM microemulsions demonstrated significantly greater in vivo anti-inflammatory efficacy than a conventional gel cream.
- Histopathological analysis confirmed the safety of the microemulsion formulation for topical use.
Conclusions:
- Microemulsions containing Isopropyl Myristate (IPM) are effective vehicles for topical Flurbiprofen (FP) delivery.
- This approach successfully bypasses gastrointestinal adverse effects associated with oral FP.
- Microemulsions offer a promising and safe alternative for topical anti-inflammatory treatment.
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