PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF TOPICAL HYDROGEL CONTAINING COMBINE DRUGS (COMPARATIVE STUDY) FOR TOPICAL DELIVERY

Abstract

The present study aimed to prepare and comparatively evaluate topical hydrogels containing salicylic acid, aloin, and their combination for topical drug delivery. Three hydrogel formulations were prepared using Carbopol 940 and characterized for physicochemical properties, drug content, antimicrobial activity, in vitro drug release, skin irritation, and stability. All formulations exhibited satisfactory appearance, pH, viscosity, spreadability, and drug content. The combination hydrogel (F3) showed superior performance with the highest drug content (98.65%), enhanced antimicrobial activity (18 mm zone of inhibition), and maximum cumulative drug release (96.13% in 12 h). Skin irritation studies confirmed the safety of all formulations, while accelerated stability studies demonstrated good physical and chemical stability over three months. The findings suggest that the combination hydrogel containing salicylic acid and aloin is a promising topical drug delivery system for the effective management of various dermatological conditions.