What does this research mean for the field?

An optimized bigel formulation combining Carbopol 934 hydrogel and lecithin-isopropyl palmitate organogel provides stable, diffusion-controlled, and sustained topical delivery of indomethacin over 8 hours. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

This study aims to develop and assess an indomethacin-loaded bigel for better topical delivery and sustained release.

May 18, 2026Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics0 citationsOpen Access

Formulation and Evaluation of Indomethacin-Loaded Bigel for Enhanced Topical Drug Delivery

UAUmaymah AhmareenOsmania University YAYasmine Abdul AzizOsmania University WTWasifa TabassumOsmania University

Key Points

This study aims to develop and assess an indomethacin-loaded bigel for better topical delivery and sustained release.
Formulated bigels using Carbopol 934-based hydrogel and lecithin–isopropyl palmitate organogel.
Evaluated physicochemical properties, drug content, in vitro drug release, and stability of formulations B1-B5.
Conducted stability studies under controlled storage conditions.
Optimal formulation B3 demonstrated 99.90% drug release over 8 hours with R² = 0.9727, indicating diffusion-controlled release.
Drug content across all formulations ranged from 93.10% to 99.00%.
No significant changes in pH, viscosity, or drug content were observed during stability studies.

Abstract

Indomethacin, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, is associated with gastrointestinal side effects upon oral administration. This study aimed to formulate and evaluate an indomethacin-loaded bigel for improved topical delivery and sustained drug release. Bigels were prepared by combining Carbopol 934-based hydrogel and lecithin–isopropyl palmitate organogel in varying ratios (B1-B5). The formulations were evaluated for physicochemical properties, drug content, in vitro drug release, and stability. All formulations showed acceptable pH (5.8–6.4), good homogeneity, and suitable viscosity (5600-6900 cps). Drug content ranged from 93.10% to 99.00%. In vitro release studies demonstrated sustained drug release over 8 hours, with formulation B3 showing optimal performance (99.90% release). Release kinetics of B3 followed the Higuchi model (R² = 0.9727), indicating diffusion-controlled release. Stability studies confirmed no significant changes in pH, viscosity, or drug content under storage conditions. In conclusion, the optimized bigel formulation (B3) offers effective topical delivery of indomethacin with improved stability and sustained release characteristics, making it a promising alternative to conventional formulations. Keywords: Indomethacin, Bigel, Topical drug delivery, Biphasic system, Drug release kinetics

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