Abstract

DEVELOPMENT OF FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF STEALTH LIPOSOMAL GEL CONTAINING METRONIDAZOLE

Karthick K.*, Monesh S., Vigneshwar M. S., Meena A., Shanthi A., Selvanayagi S. and Vani M.

ABSTRACT

The need for the present study is to formulate and evaluate the stealth liposomal gel containing metronidazole and to encapsulate the drugs in the stealth liposome vesicles. A stealth liposome is a sphere-shaped vesicle with a membrane composed of phospholipid bilayers used to deliver drugs or genetic materials into the cell. The preformulation studies were performed. The drug and excipients were found to be compatible with each other in FTIR studies. Stealth liposomes were prepared by thin film hydration technique. In this technique the excipients used were lecithin, drug, cholesterol, PEG, water and chloroform. In vitro release studies of metronidazole stealth liposomes were performed. The formulated stealth liposomes were characterised for optical microscopy, SEM and entrapment efficiency. Totally eight formulations were prepared (F1 to F8), and F3 was found to have the highest entrapment efficiency. Evaluation studies like washability, organoleptic additives, viscosity, pH measurement, spreadability, homogeneity and stability studies were performed. Comparative In vitro release studies of stealth liposomes and stealth liposomal gel preparation was determined and it was found that the drug was released upto 20 hours. Considering these results, the gel formulation was found to be very satisfactory and hence confirmed that the metronidazole entrapped stealth liposome is very efficient and stable for topical administration.

Keywords: Stealth liposomal gel, metronidazole, In vitro release, entrapment efficiency.