Formulation and evaluation of Cyclosporin A emulgel for ocular delivery

Emulgels have been extensively covered as a promising drug delivery system for the administration of lipophilic drugs. This work was conducted to develop an emulgel formulation for Cyclosporin A (CsA) employing polycarbophil as the gelling agent for ocular delivery. The prepared emulgels were evaluated for their physical appearance, rheological behavior, drug release, stability, precorneal clearance and irritation. Results showed that CsA emulgel formulations prepared with polycarbophil exhibited acceptable physical properties and drug release, which remained consistent after storage for 3 months. A prolonged retention time was also observed on the ocular surface with improved ocular bioavailability and no irritation. Therefore, the polycarbophil-based emulgel could be exploited as a potential hydrophobic drug carrier for topical ocular drug delivery.