Abstract
This study was performed to develop microemulsion based gels (MEBG) of griseofulvin (GF). The impact of concentration of Carbopol 934, the concentration of oil phase; oleic acid and also the penetration enhancer; dimethylsulfoxide on the viscosity of the drug was studied. The MEBG formulations were evaluated for the physical appearance, drug content, droplet size, transmission electron microscopy and histopathological examination. Moreover the in vitro release of GF from different formulations and also the microbiological assay of the selected formulation were carried out. The prepared MEBG showed acceptable physical properties and exhibited non-Newtonian pseudoplastic shear thinning behavior. The viscosity value was increased by increasing Carbopol concentrations while oleic acid concentrations had non significant effect on the viscosity. MEBG formulations containing DMSO exhibited lower viscosity than that free from DMSO. Release rate of GF from different MEBG without DMSO was affected non significantly by the Carbopol concentrations while the rate of the release from formulations containing 0.5 % Carbopol was higher than that containing 1 % Carbopol after adding DMSO. The release of GF from the MEBG increased with the addition of DMSO in the formulations. The selected formulation showed higher antifungal properties against all the selected strains.