EVALUATION OF NITROGLYCERIN SUSTAIN RELEASE FROM A MICRORESERVOIR TRANSDERMAL PATCH

Achieving a systemic effect of a drug by delivery through skin is commonly known as transdermal drug delivery and differs from traditional topical drug delivery. The development of transdermal drug delivery systems is a multidisciplinary activity that encompasses fundamental feasibility studies starting from the selection of a drug molecule to the demonstration of sufficient drug flux in an ex vivo and/or in vivo model. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of formulation parameters on nitroglycerin release profilefrom a micro-reservoir transdermal silicon patch. Initial nitroglycerin concentration, amount of crosslinking agent and co-solvent (PEG400) whose effect on release profile was studied were the formulation parameters. Also physicochemical evaluations (patch thickness, weight uniformity, flatness, drug content and content uniformity) were tested. Also, release profile and rate were measured using a designed diffusion cell with and without skin and the results were compared.Keywords: Transdermal drug delivery, nitroglycerin, silicon patch, sustain release, micro-reservoi