Vol. 8, Issue 1 (2019)

Author(s):
Shamim and Mohammad Idris

Abstract:
The combined dosage form of gel and emulsion are referred as emulgel. Both oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions are extensively used as vehicles to deliver various hydrophilic as well as hydrophobic drugs to the skin in emulgel formulation. They also have a high ability to dissolve drug and penetrate the skin. The emulgel has more advantages, such as more absorption, better skin penetration, greaseless, thixotropic, easily spreadable, easily removable, emollient, non-staining, water-soluble, longer shelf life, bio-friendly, better stability, high loading efficiency, more economic with low-cost production. A new formulation was conceptualized in the form of Unani emulgel based on the commonly used anti-inflammatory and analgesic single drugs (mufradat), such as Aak(Calotropis procera), Bakayan (Melia azedarach), Baid injeer (Ricinus communis), Dhatura (Datura stramonium), Sanbhaloo (Vitex negundo), Sahajna (Moringa oleifera), Thuhar(Euphorbia neriifolia), Babuna (Matricaria chamomilla) and Kunjad (Sesamum indicum). The novel formulation based on the concept of rapid penetration through the skin i.e., emulgel has been prepared in the laboratory with standard operating procedure (SOP). The formulation is based on the above mentioned Unani single drugs along with excipients, namely Gum acacia, Olic acid, menthol oil, Carbopol- 940 etc. The study indicates that the test Unani anti-inflammatory and analgesic emulgel (UAAE) was found to be physicochemically active, and pharmaceutically possessed all characteristics of a standard emulgel. Hence, this study generates the pharmaceutical evidence for scientific validation of this new dosage form, i.e., emulgel, and moreover showed path for modernization of Unani pharmaceutics. Further, a clinical study is warranted to assess the therapeutic efficacy and safety of UAAE.