Studies on Topical Gel Formulations of Flurbiprofen Containing Different Penetration Enhancers

Topical non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drug (NSIAD) formulations are designed to deliver therapeutic levels of the active ingredients to the inflammed tissue without elevating serum levels after application on the skin. This route is an attractive alternative to the oral administration of NSAIDS which is associated with high incidence of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) complications and other systemic toxic effects. Flurbiprofen is a potent non-steriodal anti-inflammatory agent usually well tolerated as compared to other NSAIDS product. It has analgesic and antipyretic properties. It is used in the treatment of rheumatic disorders such as ankylosing spondilities, oesteoarthritis and intraoperative miosis. It suffers from major GIT disturbances. Percutaneous absorption of flurbiprofen has been documented. These properties makes it an ideal candidate for transdermal delivery of flurbiprofen.An attempt has been made to investigate the effect of different penetration enhancers namely Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) and Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) on the release of Flurbiprofen using Carbopol 934 as gelling agent. Gels were evaluated for appearance, drug content, viscosity, pH, extrudability, skin irritation test, In-vitro release through rat abdominal skin, stability study and antiinflammatory activity. Formulation C-II containing 15% w/w DMSO was found to the best. The carbopol gel with 15% DMSO was found significant (p<0.05) anti-inflammatory activity.