Basics: A Review: In Situ Gel Dosage Forms for Herbal Medicine Delivery

Herbal medicine is one of Indonesia's wealth with various indications that have been studied. Herbal medicine has accompanied human life from the past to the present with significant developments. With the use of manufacturing procedures such as nanotechnology, and formulations that alter the time and rate of drug release, referred to as modified release, various forms of herbal preparations have been developed, from conventional preparations to novelty preparations. Many herbal medicines have also been approved for market, and the manufacturing process also has a recognized standard. In this review, manual searches were carried out in electronic books and journals. Upon conclusion of the searches, gel in situ was discussed as an option for delivering herbal medicines, including formulas and evaluations to ensure the quality of the preparations. Poloxamers are one of the gelling agents that are widely used in thermo-responsive gel, followed by carbomers as pH-responsive gels, and sodium alginates as ion-responsive gels. Sol-to-gel changes can occur due to the presence of specific inducing agents present in the body according to the treatment target. This provides many advantages in terms of pharmacology, patient convenience, and the manufacturing process.