A REVIEW ON FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF TOPICAL GEL OF CLINDAMYCIN FOR ACNE VULGARIS

Abstract

Acne vulgaris is one of the most common chronic inflammatory skin disorders affecting adolescents and adults worldwide. It develops due to excessive sebum production, follicular hyper keratinizati on, bacterial colonization by Cutibacterium acnes, and inflammation. Topical drug delivery systems, especially gels, have become a preferred choice for acne treatment because they provide localized drug action, improve patient compliance, and reduce systemic side effects. Clindamycin is a widely used topical antibiotic with excellent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties against acne-causing bacteria. This review discusses the pathophysiology of acne vulgaris, skin anatomy, topical drug delivery systems, and the formulation strategies of clindamycin gel. It also covers the selection of gelling agents, formulation components, evaluation parameters such as pH,viscosity, spreadability, drug release, antimicrobial activity, stability studies, and recent research advancements. Overall, clindamycin topical gel remains an effective and promising formulation for the management of acne vulgaris when properly formulated and evaluated.