Abstract:
Introduction: Piroxicam is one of the most used and prescribed drug for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. When administered topically, piroxicam is a better therapeutic alternative to the systemic
way because of its local effects and an improved release on affected tissues, with a low incidence of systemic side effects. As a hydrogel, piroxicam ensures a good compliance of the patient and a very good
therapeutic effect at the same time.
This paper evaluates the topical release systems of piroxicam from hydrogels formulated with sodium
carboxymethylcellulose, following its kinetic and rheological properties.
Methods: In vitro release studies of piroxicam from hydrogels were carried out using a modified
Franz diffusion cell fitted with a synthetic membrane (in this case, cellophane). Rheological measurements were performed at two different temperatures, using a rotational viscometer Multi-Vise Fungilab,
equipped with standard spindles by recording the shear stress at different speeds in ascending and then
descending order
Results: The release data analyzed by the Higuchi equation provided the highest correlation coefficients. The flow curves which followed the Herschel-Bulkley model revealed a non-newtonian shear
thinning behaviour.
Conclusion: The effectiveness of piroxicam released from hydrogels and the rheological characteristics are strongly influenced by the formulation properties as viscosity agents and the concentration of its components. Thus, the kinetic and rheological profiles can be modulated by the formulations factors in
order to obtain the optimal drug amount released at the application site.
