Formulation Design, Optimization and Anti- Inflammatory Evaluation of Ibuprofen Cream

Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory drugs have their origin as the derivatives of plants which were observed to have strong analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects in various disease states. Ibuprofen is a better tolerated NSAID because of its limited numbers of adverse effects and topical formulation has excellent permeation and absorption into the skin. Clinical trials have established the efficacy of Ibuprofen in Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Acute Gouty Arthritis, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Low back pain, acute postoperative pain and primary dysmenorrheal. The present research has been undertaken with the aim to develop a novel topical cream formulation of Ibuprofen, which would attenuate the gastrointestinal relater toxicities associated with oral administration. In the present study, a fixed concentration of Ibuprofen cream (3%) was prepared by using a different combination of Active ingredient and Excipients. To access the efficacy of formulated cream, in-vitro evaluation including stability studies, tube extrude ability, spread ability, pH, viscosity and rheological properties and drug diffusion studies were carried out. After in vitro evaluation of cream formulations, the formulation was evaluated for the anti-inflammatory and skin irritation study. The results obtained were encouraging and formulation containing Ibuprofen (3%) exhibited the most satisfying results of all the parameters.