Introduction: Clobetasol propionate is a potent corticosteroid widely used in the management of skin inflammation. However, its therapeutic efficacy is limited due to poor aqueous solubility and low permeability through the skin barrier. To overcome these challenges and to enhance topical delivery, the development of novel drug delivery systems such as emulgel has gained attention, as they combine the dual advantages of both emulsions and gels. Materials and Methods: In this study, clobetasol propionate-loaded emulsion was prepared using the microemulsion method and subsequently incorporated into a gel base to obtain an emulgel formulation. Xanthum gum was employed as the gelling agent, span 40 as the surfactant, and clove oil as a permeation enhancer. These were considered as independent variables, while viscosity and cumulative drug release were selected as dependent variables for optimization. The formulations were evaluated for physicochemical properties, drug release kinetics, and in vivo anti-inflammatory activity using albino mice. Results: The optimized emulgel formulation demonstrated a viscosity of 998.46 cp, ensuring adequate spreadability and patient compliance. It exhibited a cumulative drug release of 89.7% over the study period, following first-order release kinetics. In vivo studies confirmed superior anti-inflammatory efficacy compared to control formulations, with significant reduction in inflammation at the test site, indicating enhanced permeation and sustained release of clobetasol propionate. Discussion: The developed formulation significantly improves the solubility and permeability of clobetasol propionate, which improves its therapeutic effectiveness as an anti-inflammatory formulation. Conclusion: The study highlights that the developed emulgel formulation markedly improves the solubility and permeability of clobetasol propionate, thereby enhancing its therapeutic performance for the management of skin inflammation. This optimized formulation has the potential to serve as an effective and patient-friendly topical drug delivery system.
Chaudhary et al. (Tue,) studied this question.