Formulation design and evaluation of an emulgel containing Terminalia arjuna bark extract for transdermal delivery

Ahmad

et al. 2022

Gels

The aim of this study was to fabricate and characterize a pharmaceutical emulgel co-loaded with naproxen/eugenol for transdermal delivery to improve the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects and to eliminate GIT adverse reactions. Emulgel was prepared using a slow emulsification method and evaluated for physical appearance, thermodynamic stability, viscosity, pH, spreadability, extrudability, in-vitro drug release, drug content, ex-vivo permeation, drug retention studies and in-vivo studies. The emulgel exhibited good physical attributes, being thermodynamically stable with no phase separation, having excellent homogeneity, and pH 5.5 to 6.5. Slight changes in viscosity, spreadability and extrudability with respect to high temperature were observed (p > 0.05). The drug content was 96.69 ± 1.18% and 97.24 ± 1.27% for naproxen and eugenol, respectively. The maximum release of naproxen after 12 h was 85.14 ± 1.11%, whereas eugenol was 86.67 ± 1.23% from emulgel following anomalous non-Fickian mechanism. The maximum % permeation of naproxen across skin was 78.5 ± 1.30, whereas maximum % permeation of eugenol was 83.7 ± 1.33 after 12 h. The skin retention of eugenol and naproxen was 8.52 ± 0.22% and 6.98 ± 0.24%, respectively. The optimized emulgel inhibited the carrageenan induced paw edema. The pain reaction times of optimized emulgel and standard marketed product (Voltral®) were 11.16 ± 0.17 and 10.36 ± 0.47, respectively, with no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05). This study concluded that transdermal delivery of naproxen-eugenol emulgel synergized the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of naproxen and eugenol.

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 57%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fabrication and Characterizations of Pharmaceutical Emulgel Co-Loaded with Naproxen-Eugenol for Improved Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Effects

Ahmad

et al. 2022

Gels

British Journal of Pharmacy

“…The polyherbal emulgel formulation showed significant anti-inflammatory activity in the presence of cow ghee as permeation enhancer and this activity was better than that of commercial diclofenac gel (Shrikhande, 2013) Lantana camara/Leaves Carbopol 934, Na CMC, HPMC, HPMC K15M, and HEC Formulations prepared with Na CMC showed optimal physicochemical properties and significant improvement in wound contraction (Sultana et al, 2016) Combination of Curcuma longa and Tinospora cordifolia/Rhizome, leaves respectively Carbopol 940 Optimized emulgel formulation produced sustained anti-arthritic activity for up to 18 h (Thakur et al, 2016) Cardiospermum halicacabum/Leaves Na CMC Emulgel formulation demonstrated appreciable diffusion through animal skin and its anti-arthritic activity was comparable to that of commercially available diclofenac gel (Suganya et al, 2017) Strawberry/Fruit Carbopol 940 Formulation decreased skin melanin, improved skin hydration, and promoted skin whitening in healthy female human participants (Kausar and Akhtar, 2017) Terminalia arjuna/Bark Carbopol 934 Emulgel formulation for topical delivery of the extract was found be stable and possessed good release profile (Gaikwad and Jadhav, 2018) Combination of Ocimum tenuiflorum and Mentha arvensis/Both leaves Na CMC The formulation exhibited significant and accelerated activity against acne (Susmitha and Devi, 2018) Polycarpaea aurea/Whole plant Carbopol 934 Formulation showed greater broad spectrum activity against the formulation of Ofloxacin (Jamal et al, 2018) Coriandrum sativum/Seeds Carbopol 940 Emulgel of the seed oil showed significant antiinflammatory activity (Mohite and Salunkhe, 2019) Coccinia grandis/Leaves Carbopol 940, Carbopol 934 Formulation prepared with Carbopol 934 and liquid paraffin exhibited good antibacterial activity (Guntupalli et al, 2019) Zingiber officinale/Roots Na CMC Formulation prepared with 1.5 % Na CMC showed highest release, better stability and significant inhibition of bacteria growth than formulations with less concentration of Na CMC (Desai and Mhaskar , 2019) Combination of Phyllanthus emblica, Centella asiatica, Wedelia calendulacea, Cucurbita pepo/Fresh fruits, both leaves, seeds respectively Carbopol 934…”

Section: Carbopol 940mentioning

confidence: 97%

Emulgel: A Promising Technology for Topical Delivery of Herbal Extracts

Olayemi

David

2023

Topicaldrug delivery is a remarkable but arduous task due to the inherent barriersystem of the skin. More so, only a narrow range of drugs are available fortopical use because most drugs are hydrophobic in nature and this restrictstheir permeation and absorption into the skin. Herbal remedies have been usedin the treatment of various diseases including skin diseases for centuries and aregradually becoming acceptable as treatment options however, they are mostlyhydrophobic. Growing interests in combating these issues have led formulatingscientists to develop drug delivery systems like emulgels which are goodcarriers of hydrophobic drug molecules. Emulgels are a mixture of an emulsion anda gel, where drugs are incorporated into globules and solubilized, enhancingdrug absorption from the skin. They are easily spread over the skin, easilyremoved from the skin, possess emollient properties, are non-greasy, cosmeticallyappealing and have good penetrating abilities. This review highlights theimportance of emulgels in the delivery of herbal extracts/constituents, the methodsof formulations and an overview of herbal emulgel formulations that have beenexploited by different researchers. Emulgels have proven to be good prospectsin enhancing the topical delivery of herbals and improving the treatment of skininfections. 

“…The in vitro and ex vivo release studies of the extract from the emulgel were conducted, and the maximum and prolonged release were found in 500 mg of the extract. The in vitro maximum release percentage was found to be 91.43% in 720 min and in ex vivo it was found to be 89.32% [ 140 ].…”

Section: Polymeric Formulation Of Ta Extractsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Terminalia arjuna, a Cardioprotective Herbal Medicine–Relevancy in the Modern Era of Pharmaceuticals and Green Nanomedicine—A Review

Ramesh

Palaniappan

2023

Pharmaceuticals

Herbal medicines were the main source of therapeutic agents in the ancestral era. Terminalia arjuna (TA) is one such medicinal plant widely known for its several medicinal properties, especially its cardiovascular properties. They have several phytochemicals, such as flavonoids, polyphenols, triterpenoids, tannins, glycosides, and several minerals, proteins, and others that are responsible for the above-mentioned medicinal properties. In this review, we have first elaborated on the various processes and their parameters for the efficient extraction of relevant phytochemicals from TA extracts. Secondly, the mechanisms behind the various medicinal properties of TA extracts are explained. We have also highlighted the role of TA extracts on the green synthesis of metallic nanoparticles, especially silver and gold nanoparticles, with an elucidation on the mechanisms behind the synthesis of nanoparticles. Finally, TA extracts-based polymeric formulations are discussed with limitations and future perspectives. We believe that this review could help researchers understand the importance of a well-known cardioprotective medicinal plant, TA, and its biomedical properties, as well as their role in green nanotechnology and various formulations explored for encapsulating them. This review will help researchers design better and greener nanomedicines as well as better formulations to improve the stability and bioavailability of TA extracts.