1Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Ahl Al Bayt University, Kerbala, Iraq
2Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of Kerbala, Kerbala, Iraq
3Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, AlMustansiriyiah University, Baghdad, Iraq
4Assistant professor in pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Al-Zahraa University for Women, Karbala, Iraq
5Al-Esraa University, College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutics, Baghdad, Iraq
6Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Alkafeel, Najaf, Iraq
7ARCPMS, University of Alkafeel, Najaf, Iraq
8Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, University of AlKafeel, Najaf, Iraq
چکیده
Bioactive ingredients like Resveratrol (RTL) and Silymarin (SLM), found in natural skincare products, are highly sought after for their anti-inflammatory, skin-protective, and antioxidant properties. However, their poor aqueous solubility limits their effective topical application. Organogels offer a solution by immobilizing and releasing lipophilic compounds within a stable, viscoelastic, semisolid delivery system. This study focused on creating, characterizing, and evaluating RTL and SLM-loaded herbal topical organogels to optimize their skin dispersion and therapeutic availability. Eight organogel formulations (F1-F8) were developed using three phases: drug, oil, and water. Key excipients included soy lecithin (SL) as a permeation enhancer, isopropyl myristate (IPM) as an emollient, and pluronic F127 as a gel stabilizer. Polyethylene glycol (PEG 400) was investigated as a co-solvent and humectant, with SL concentrations ranging from 1% to 6% w/v. The organogels were assessed for gelation temperature, viscosity, drug content uniformity, pH compatibility, and the release of natural ingredients using a dialysis bag over 6 hours. All developed organogels were homogeneous and exhibited an appealing yellow color. They demonstrated physiological skin-compatible pH values (6.1–6.7) and excellent drug content uniformity (95.13%–99.17%). Viscosities ranged from 2943 to 3963 poise, and gelation temperatures from 23°C to 36°C. An increase in SL concentration enhanced matrix viscosity and gelation temperature but also delayed drug release. Conversely, PEG 400, acting as a co-solvent, improved both drug release and solubility. The PEG-free formulation (F3) released 32% of the active ingredients within 6 hours, whereas the optimized formulation (F5), containing PEG, released 90%. Overall, the organogel system demonstrated good physiological pH compatibility, desirable viscoelastic viscosity, and an excellent drug release profile, making it a highly promising method for topical administration in cosmetics and wound healing applications.