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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
Table 1: Composition of the ibuprofen gel test formulation or reference was applied to
formulations 2
the membrane over an area of 1.131 cm
area across the donor compartment. The
Formulation ingredients donor cell was exposed to ambient
temperature and covered with parafilm to
prevent evaporation. The temperature of the
Formulation code
Glycerol (%w/w)
Menthol (%w/w)
continuously with a Teflon-coated magnetic
PEG400 (%w/w)
Ibuprofen (g)
PG (%w/w)
cage) under standard conditions of light and with saline; (b) inflamed, injected with
dark cycle and had free access to food and carrageenan; (c) inflamed, treated with the
tap water. They were allowed to acclimatize reference product. The other five groups
for one week before the experiments. Ethical were inflamed and treated with the test
approval was given for the animal skin ibuprofen formulations F1, F2, F3 and F4,
studies by the Research Ethics Committee of and blank. Carrageenan solution (1 %w/v, in
Dubai Pharmacy College and animal normal saline) was used to induce
experiments were conducted in accordance inflammation. The animals were placed singly
with the “Guide for the Care and Use of in observation chambers for 10 min to
Laboratory Animals” (NIH Publication no. 85- minimize any stress-related behavioral
23) [15]. changes. The mice then received sub-plantar
administration of 50 µl of the carrageenan
Skin irritation test solution in the left hind paw and were
returned immediately to the observation
This test was performed in accordance with chamber. The thickness (mm) of the paw was
ASTM method F719 – 81 [16]. A group of measured at 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 h after
three male albino rabbits weighing carrageenan administration, using an
approximately 1 kg were used in the test. The electronic digital caliper (Traceable Calipers,
ventral side of the animal was carefully Friendswood, TX, USA) [17].
shaved, and six circular areas of 2.5 cm in
diameter were drawn on the animal's The gel formulations or the reference were
abdomen. The circumscribed areas were applied to the plantar surface of the left hind
painted with 20 % aqueous solution of paw by gently rubbing 0.5 g of the formulation
formaldehyde. for lipid drying and the solution 50 times with the index finger. Thirty minutes
was allowed to evaporate. Approximately 0.5 later, pleurisy was induced by injecting 50 µl
g of the formulations F1, F2, F3, F4 and of 1% w/v carrageenan solution subcuta-
ibuprofen powder were placed on five of the neously into the sub-plantar surface of the left
circular areas and a substance of known paw of the mice. Control un-inflamed animals
irritancy (histamine) was injected received 50 µl normal saline subcutaneously
intradermally into the sixth circular area for into the sub-plantar surface of the left paw
the purpose of calibration. The back of the [18].
animal's ear was shaved carefully; a piece of
cotton was immersed in a small amount of Determination of analgesic activity
xylene and applied to the shaved portion in
order to dilate the superficial ear vein. One Mice were divided into eight groups with eight
millilitre of 0.5 % trypan blue was slowly animals per each and the test was carried out
injected into the selected vein and the degree by the hot plate method [18]. The animals
of the resulting irritancy was estimated by the were habituated twice to the hot-plate in
level of accumulation of trypan blue at the advance. The first three groups served as
treated site. The degree of blueness was controls: (a) un-inflamed, injected with saline;
visually ranked to provide a relative order of (b) inflamed, injected with carrageenan; (c)
irritancy of the substance used. The inflamed, treated with the reference product.
observations were made after 1, 6 and 24 h. The other five groups were inflamed and
treated with the test ibuprofen formulations
Evaluation of carrageenan-induced paw F1, F2, F3 and F4, and blank. Thirty minutes
oedema prior to treatment, 1 % carrageenan
suspension (0.01 ml) was injected into the
Animals were divided into eight groups with subplanter area of the right hind paw In the
eight animals in each; the first three groups test, the mice were placed on a hot plate
0
served as controls: (a) un-inflamed, injected maintained at 55 ± 0.5 C. The time elapsed
RESULTS
Viscosity of gel formulations
site became gradually blue with the maximum blank), did not show significant analgesic or
intensity of blueness occurring after 6 h. The anti-inflammatory activities (p > 0.05).
intensity of blueness at the histamine site
served as reference to other sites. The
intensity of blueness increased only at the
histamine site only, and hence the test gels
were considered non-irritant.
Anti-inflammatory activity
Analgesic effect
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