Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Development and Evaluation of Ibuprofen Transdermal Gel Formulations

Bazigha K Abdul Rasool¹ , Eman F Abu-Gharbieh¹, Sahar A Fahmy², Heyam S Saad¹, Saeed A Khan¹

¹Dubai Pharmacy College, Dubai, UAE; ²Helwan University, Helwan, Egypt.

For correspondence:- Bazigha Abdul Rasool Email: bazigharasool@hotmail.com Tel:+971509529878

Received: 18 February 2010 Accepted: 22 June 2010 Published: 25 August 2010

Citation: Abdul Rasool BK, Abu-Gharbieh EF, Fahmy SA, Saad HS, Khan SA. Development and Evaluation of Ibuprofen Transdermal Gel Formulations. Trop J Pharm Res 2010; 9(4):355-363 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v9i4.5

© 2010 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To develop an ibuprofen transdermal gel with a capability for both topical and systemic drug delivery.

Methods: Ibuprofen gel formulations, incorporating various permeation enhancers, were prepared using chitosan as a gelling agent. The formulations were examined for their in vitro characteristics including viscosity, pH and drug release as well as in vivo pharmacological activities. Carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema model was used for the evaluation of their analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. A commercial ibuprofen gel product (Ibutop^®) was used as a reference.

Results: The formulations containing 5 % of either menthol or glycerol as permeation enhancers gave drug release patterns comparable to that of the reference product. Propanol increased the apparent viscosity of the test gels to the same extent as that of the reference. Drug release from the formulations fitted best to the Higuchi model. A significant in vivo analgesic effect was produced by the test formulations containing 5 % menthol and 20 % propylene glycol and the effect was superior to that obtained with the reference product. However, no significant anti-inflammatory activity was exerted by any of the test gel formulations (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: Ibuprofen gel preparations containing 5 % menthol and 20 % propylene glycol, respectively, exhibited pronounced analgesic activity and could be further developed for topical and systemic delivery of ibuprofen.

Keywords: Transdermal gel, Chitosan, Ibuprofen, Menthol, Propylene glycol, Penetration enhancer