Microemulsion based hydrogel formulation for topical drug delivery - A concise review
Jameel Ahmed S Mulla, Biradev S Karande
Abstract:
A hydrogel is a network of water-insoluble polymer chains that can also be found as a colloidal gel with water as the dispersion medium. Hydrogels are natural or manufactured polymers that are superabsorbent (they can hold over 99 percent water). Topical medicines are utilized for localized effects at the application site due to medication penetration into the deeper layers of the skin or mucous membranes. Microemulsions are thermodynamically stable, fluid, transparent (or translucent) colloidal dispersions made up of an oil phase, aqueous phase, surfactant, and co-surfactant in appropriate ratios that form a single optically isotropic solution with droplet diameters typically ranging from 10 to 100 nanometers. Transparency, low viscosity, and, most importantly, thermodynamic stability and capacity to form spontaneously separate micro-emulsions from conventional emulsions. As a topical medication delivery system, micro-emulsions provide a number of advantages over standard creams, gels, and solutions. The Hydrogel technology based on microemulsion will be able to sustain therapeutic concentration at the site of action while also increasing bioavailability. This review focuses on the method of preparation, characterization, evaluation, and stability investigations of microemulsion-based hydrogel.
Keywords: Microemulasion, Microemulsion-based Hydrogel, Ternary Phase Diagram, Preparation, Characterization.