Abstract

Sreekavya B*, Disha and Santhosh M. Mathews

ABSTRACT

There are huge number of vesicular drug delivery systems that allow drug targeting and the sustained release of conventional medicines. Cubosome is one among them. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are most commonly used medications for the treatment of pain and inflammation, but numerous well-described side effects limit their use. With this view, the present study was aimed to formulate and evaluate the ibuprofen loaded cubosomes an attempt to provide a platform for further research. Initially, the pre-formulation study of drug substance ibuprofen was done. After the pre-formulation studies, the ibuprofen cubosomes was prepared by top-down technique and the prepared cubosomes were evaluated for their morphological characters, drug content, entrapment efficiency, particle size and zeta potential and the drug release by in vitro method. The pre-formulation study confirmed the physicochemical quality of drug substance ibuprofen used in this study. Results of drug-excipient compatibility study revealed the compatibility exist between the drug ibuprofen and the excipients used in the formulation of cubosome. After pre-formulation study, totally nine cubosome formulations (C1-C9) were prepared. Morphological characterization of cubosomes revealed no aggregation among the particles and the particle surface was smooth without surface deformations and visible pinholes. Based on the results of drug content, entrapment efficiency, particle size, zeta potential and polydispersity index (PDI) analysis of the cubosomes, the formulations namely C3, C6, C8, and C9 were selected for in vitro drug release evaluation. Analysis of release data indicated that the selected formulation, particularly, the formulations C3, C6 and C9 were best fit towards Zero order and Higuchi model. Further research such as loading these cubosome formulations in transdermal patches and their evaluations may leads to successful development of a novel sustained release drug delivery system in the future.