“Innovative Formulation and Evaluation of D...

“Innovative Formulation and Evaluation of DiflunisalContaining Topical Hydrogel for Therapeutic Applications”

Author Name : Ashish Khandvi, Dr. Darshan Dubey, Dr. Tanu Bhargava, Dr. Kamlesh Dashora

ABSTRACT Diflunisal, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and diabetic foot ulcers (DFU). This study focuses on the development and evaluation of hydrogel formulations by incorporating different polymers or gelling agents. The aim is to formulate and characterize a diflunisalloaded hydrogel using a combination of chitosan, guar gum, and calcium chloride as the polymer matrix. The primary objective is to enhance the solubility and sustained release of diflunisal, which has poor water solubility. Chitosan, known for its biocompatibility and biodegradability, is combined with guar gum to create the hydrogel matrix. Calcium chloride acts as a crosslinking agent to stabilize the hydrogel structure. The hydrogel is prepared by dissolving chitosan in either distilled water or an acetic acid solution, followed by adding guar gum and diflunisal. Calcium chloride is then introduced to induce gelation. The resulting hydrogel is evaluated for various physicochemical properties, including entrapment efficiency, viscosity, pH, and in vitro drug release profile. The study reveals that the chitosan-guar gum-calcium chloride hydrogel significantly enhances the solubility of diflunisal and provides a sustained release profile, making it a promising delivery system for hydrophobic drugs.