APPLICATION OF MODEL INDEPENDENT APPROACH ON IN VITRO RELEASE OF EXTEMPORANEOUSLY PREPARED SEMISOLID FORMULATIONS CONTAINING METRONIDAZOLE WITH MARKETED SILVER SULFADIAZINE 1% CREAM, USP: A COMPARATIVE INVESTIGATION

In an attempt for better treatment of bacterial infections, various semisolid formulations containing 5% w/w of metronidazole were prepared and evaluated for in vitro drug release and in vitro skin permeability using dialysis membrane and rat abdominal skin respectively using model independent approach. The f1 lower than 15 and f2 higher than 50 indicated similarities in the in vitro diffusion and permeation profiles of the extemporaneously prepared selected semisolid formulations and marketed silver sulfadiazine 1% cream, USP. Amongst all the semisolid formulations prepared, carbopol gel base was found to be most suitable dermatological base for metronidazole and the results obtained for in vitro diffusion and in vitro skin permeation studies were comparable with that of marketed silver sulphadiazine 1% cream, USP.