Formulation Development and Evaluation of Emulgel of Clindamycin Phosphate for Effective Treatment of Acne

Abstract

Emulgel have emerged as one of the most interesting topical delivery system as it has dual release control system i.e. gel and emulsion. The topical applications of the drug offers the potential advantages of delivering the drug directly to the site of action and delivering the drug for extended period of time at the effected site that mainly acts at the related regions. The major objective behind this formulation is enhancing the topical delivery of hydrophobic drug (clindamycin phosphate) by formulating clindamycin phosphate emulgel using carbopol 941 as a gelling agent. In addition, light liquid paraffin as oil, tween-20 and span-20 as emulsifiers and propylene glycol as co-surfactant were selected for preparation of emulgel. Clindamycin phosphate is an antibiotic useful for the treatment of a number of infections. It is of the lincosamide class. Clindamycin phosphate is a semi synthetic lincosamide antibiotic that has largely replaced lincomycin due to an improved side effect profile. Clindamycin inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by binding to bacterial 50S ribosomal subunits. Topical clindamycin phosphate reduces free fatty acid concentrations on the skin and suppresses the growth of Propionibacterium acnes (Corynebacterium acnes), an anaerobe found in sebaceous glands and follicles.  The prepared emulgel were evaluated for their physical appearance, pH determination, viscosity, spreadability, extrudability, in vitro drug release, anti acne activity and stability. All the prepared emulgel showed acceptable physical properties, homogeneity, consistency, spreadability, viscosity and pH value. The best formulation F4 showed better antiacne activity when compared with all formulation.

Keywords: Emulgel, Clindamycin phosphate, Extrudability, Spreadability, Antiacne activity