Effect of glycols permeation enhancer on the release and permeation of meloxicam-natural rubber film through pig skin

Abstract The blended films of deproteinized natural rubber latex/hydroxypropylmethylcellulose/dibutylphthalate (DNRL/HPMC/DBP) were prepared as the low soluble drugs carriers. Evaluation of the enhancement of glycols on the release and permeation of low soluble drugs from these films was the main focus in this study. Meloxicam (MX) was chosen as the model of biopharmaceutical classification system class II, a low soluble drug. Three glycols, i.e., ethylene glycol (EG), propylene glycol (PG), and polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG) were studied as the permeation enhancers. The compatibility of each ingredient in the blended films was confirmed by their physical appearances, Fourier transform infrared spectra, differential scanning calorimetric thermograms, and X-ray diffractometric diffractograms. The drug adding methods affected the properties of these blended films. The MX in methanol solution mixed in the DNRL/HPMC/DBP/glycols dispersions could provide better films than the MX powder blends. The in vitro release of MX film containing 10%PEG showed faster releasing rate and fitted in the first-order kinetics. Moreover, the permeation of the MX showed the permeation rate of 3.23 ± 0.54 μg/cm2/h, which was 3.62-fold higher than the control group. These results confirmed the enhancement of glycols in both release and permeation of the low soluble drug from DNRL/HPMC/DBP films.