Improved Anti-Inflammatory Activity and Minimum Systemic Absorption From Topical Gels of Ibuprofen Formulated by Micelle or Nanoemulsion Publisher



Esmaeili F¹ ; Baharifar H² ; Amani A^{1, 3} Show Affiliations
Source: Journal of Pharmaceutical Innovation Published:2022

Abstract

Purpose: Few studies have so far described the improved activity of NSAIDs when formulated into nanoemulsions to be applied topically. However, no report is yet available about the topical application of micelles containing NSAIDs. Additionally, the serum concentration of drugs following topical application of nanoemulsions/micelles has not been reported to this point. Methods: In the present study, an oil-in-water nanoemulsion containing ibuprofen (NE-Ibu) was prepared and investigated for topical delivery of the drug. Carbopol 934 was used to produce a topical gel from NE-Ibu (NE-Ibu gel). Then, its anti-inflammation activity was evaluated in vivo and compared with commercial Ibu gel and topical gel of the corresponding micelle containing Ibu (i.e., MI-Ibu gel). Furthermore, skin permeation and serum concentration of the drug in the formulations were evaluated using HPLC. Key Findings: The results showed that the anti-inflammatory activity of NE-Ibu gel and MI-Ibu gel increased in comparison to the commercial one. Also, serum concentration following application of NE-Ibu gel and MI-Ibu gel was not significantly different from the commercial preparation. Conclusion: Arguably, the nanoemulsion and the micelle-based gels could enhance Ibu penetration through the skin and the preparations may be introduced as appropriate candidates for topical delivery of hydrophobic drugs. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.