The effects of polymers and permeation enhancers on in vitro release of aceclofenac from topical gel formulations

S. K. Umadevi*, P. Ravi, R. M. Rao Kusumanchi, Pichandy Muthuprasanna* and P. K. Lakshmi

Department of pharmaceutics, Vel’s college of pharmacy, P.V. Vaithialingam road Pallavaram, Chennai - 600 117 India.

Corresponding Author E-mail: p_ra2000@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT: Aceclofenac appears to be more active as an anti-inflammatory agent than other NSAID product and is usually well tolerated. Gels have gained more and more importance because the gel-based formulations are better percutaneously absorbed than creams and ointment bases. Therefore, aceclofenac gel formulations were made with different polymers like carbopol 934 (1 and 1.5%) and xanthan gum (4 and 5%) containing various permeation enhancers namely isopropyl myristate (IPM) (5 and 10%) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (5 and 10%) at different proportions, having 1.5% concentration of drug. The formulated gels were evaluated for homogeneity, gelling, extrudability, pH, viscosity, drug content, spreadability, FT-IR studies and invitro diffusion studies through dialysis membrane. Invitro permeation studies were carried out for only carbopol gel formulation. Optimized gel formulation (CGF10) was tested for stability at varying temperature for two months and it was found to be more stable. A formulation containing 1.5% carbopol with 10% isopropyl myristate, showed better invitro permeation through abdominal mouse skin, and was found to be the best.

KEYWORDS: Aceclofenac; Topical gels; Carbopol; Xanthan gum; Permeation enhancers

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