Topical Hydrogel Formulation of Naproxen: Design and Evaluation for Improved Therapy on Topical Administration

Topical gel compositions are designed to be applied topically or to specific mucosal surfaces in order to provide localised or transdermal drug penetration, as well as emollient or protective properties. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are non-steroidal drugs with good analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties; nevertheless, when used orally, NSAIDs can cause GIT ulcers as well as liver and renal problems. Several NSAIDs are now more often applied topically due to the negative pharmacological reaction that oral versions might cause. To prepare topical hydrogel formulations of naproxen (NAP), hydrophilic polymers such as carrageenan (CaR) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC-K100M) were employed at different doses. Evaluation tests were conducted for assay, viscosity, spreadability, pH, visual appearance, and in vitro drug release. Utilising the USP V dissolving equipment, in vitro drug release studies were conducted to examine the impact of polymer composition on the rate of drug release from gel formulations at 37 ± 0.5 oC. The physicochemical properties of formulation did not exhibit any significant changes during exposure to accelerated temperature and humidity settings of 40 ± 2 oC and 75 ± 5% RH, respectively. Based on in vitro assessment experiments, it was determined that the gel formulation containing 0.5% w/v CaR and 0.75% w/v HPMC ratio was appropriate for topical administration. These findings imply that the topical gel formulation of NAP produced promising results.