Preparation and Characterization of Fluocinolone Acetonide as Nanosuspension Based Hydrogel for Topical Skin Administration
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Abstract
Fluocinolone acetonide (FA), a corticosteroid, was commonly used for treating inflammatory conditions but faced challenges due to poor water solubility, leading to low bioavailability and limited efficacy. To overcome these issues, FA was formulated as a nanosuspension (NS) within a hydrogel matrix. Nanosuspensions formulations were prepared using the precipitation method under ultra-sonication. The findings demonstrate that the prepared fluocinolone acetonide formulations' particle size values fell within the nanosized range. Carbopol at different concentrations (1%,1.5%,2%) was used as a gelling agent. The hydrogel formulations were evaluated through various characterization techniques, including skin irritation tests, spreadability, viscosity, in vitro release studies, ex vivo skin permeation studies, drug release kinetics, and compatibility studies. The results showed that Carbopol was safe, non-irritant, homogeneous, and provided high consistency with excellent spreadability. In vitro release studies demonstrated that FA release from the 1% Carbopol formula (FD1) was faster than that from 1.5% (FD2) and 2% (FD3) formulations. The Higuchi model best describes the drug release kinetics.
Ex vivo permeation studies revealed significantly higher permeation of FANS hydrogel compared to the pure drug hydrogel. FTIR spectra confirmed no significant interaction between the drug and gel base. In conclusion, FA was successfully formulated as a nanosuspension, and Carbopol effectively prolonged skin contact time, enhancing FA ,s therapeutic potential for topical administration.
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