Development and Evaluation of Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose Patches Containing Clindamycin for Topical Application

Abstract

Clindamycin (CM) is the one of antibacterial drugs that can be used to treat acne vulgaris. The commercial products in form of solutions, creams, and gels cannot provide the exact amount of the drug and constant drug release. Transdermal patches present an attractive point for reducing this limitation and there is no commercial transdermal patch containing CM available in the market nowadays. The purposes of this study were to develop CM loaded transdermal patches for the treatment of acne and to investigate the physical properties and drug release profile of the CM from the transdermal patches. The transdermal patch was prepared using 10% HPMC. The types and concentrations of additives (glycerin, polyethylene glycol(PEG) or propylene glycol (PG)), were varied to improve the properties of the patches. The physical appearances including the translucent, color thickness and weight of the patches were recorded. The mechanical properties and skin adhesion of the patches were determined by a texture analyzer. The polymorphism of CM in the patches and the release profile of CM from the patches were investigated by X-ray diffraction and Franz diffusion cell, respectively. CM transdermal patches were translucent. The weight and thickness of the patches increased as the amount of additive increased. Glycerin and PG decreased the strength of the patches, while PEG increased the hardness. Adding CM to the patches increased the hardness and decreased the elasticity of the patches. The internal structure of CM loaded into the patches was an amorphous form. The CM patches exhibited some adhesion properties when contacted with the porcine skin. The release of CM from the patches was found to be 71-108% within 60 minutes. The patch prepared from 10% HPMC, 15% Glycerin, and 5% PG displayed the highest release rate. In conclusion, the CM loaded HPMC patches presented desirable properties, which could be used as a transdermal patch for the treatment of acne.