Published Paper Details:

The aim of this research was to develop and evaluate a topical hydrogel containing Halobetasol. Various gelling agents, including HPMC, Sodium CMC, and Polaxomer, were utilized at different concentrations to formulate the gel. Parameters such as drug release, drug content, pH, physical appearance, and rheological properties like spreadability and extrudability were examined for the prepared hydrogel formulations. In vitro drug release from the gels was evaluated using Franz diffusion cells with cellophane membranes and phosphate buffer pH 6.8 as the receptor medium. Compatibility between drugs and excipients was investigated using FT-IR analysis, revealing no interaction. Results indicated that all gel compositions met the required criteria and exhibited acceptable physicochemical and rheological characteristics. Higher polymer concentrations were associated with reduced drug release, with Polaxomer displaying superior drug release compared to HPMC and Sodium CMC in all gel formulations. The most potent antifungal activity was observed in Formulation F4. Factorial design was employed based on trial batches, with subsequent validation indicatingsignificant model performance. The optimized batch, F12, underwent thorough analysis and was found to be stable during a 1-month stability study. Therefore, F12 was determined as the optimized batch.