The Influence and Compatibility of Vegetable Oils and other Additives on Release of Ketoprofen from Transdermal Films

Abstract

The vegetable oils used as skin permeation enhancers were selected on the basis of compatibility studies data. A total of eight monolithic systems were prepared by using different concentrations of drug-polymers-permeation enhancers. The permeation parameters, flux, permeability coefficient, enhancement ratio and diffusion rate constants were determined. The maximum flux of 9.08 x 10-2 mg/cm2.h was observed with hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose monolithic system containing 30% w/w olive oil. Further improvement of flux was observed, when 30% w/w olive oil was applied directly onto the skin prior to the studies. The release was sustained up to 24 hours with zero-order kinetics and diffusion controlled mechanism. The 30% w/w olive oil formulation showed promising results with in vivo results showing significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities (P < 0.01) with no hypersensitivity reactions. Stability studies and scanning electron microscopy studies were also conducted.

Keywords: Vegetable oils, flux, ketoprofen, polymers

East and Central African Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Vol. 13 (2010) 19-24