Formulation Development and Characterization of Novel Anti-Psoriatic Cream for Topical Drug Delivery

Abstract

A systematic approach was employed to formulate four different cream bases (F1 to F4) using various emollients, humectants, and penetration enhancers to assess their impact on physicochemical properties, skin compatibility, drug release behavior, and stability. Four different cream formulation was prepared using oil-in-water (O/W) or anhydrous cream technique, depending on the base type used like anhydrous base (F1), lanolin base(F2), Silicone base (F3) and Glycerine rich base (F4). All formulations were physically uniform with smooth textures and no evidence of phase separation. Among them, F3 exhibited the best uniformity, likely due to the inclusion of dimethicone and triglycerides, which improve texture and spread. pH of all batch creams had pH values ranging from 5.5 to 5.8, which is within the physiologically acceptable range for topical application. Spreadability values ranged from 6.8 to 8.6 g·cm/s, with F3 showing the highest spreadability. Cream consistency ranged from 46,500 to 58,000 cP, with F1 having the highest viscosity due to its wax-heavy base. F3 showed the lowest viscosity, drug release. F3 achieved the highest cumulative permeation of Mahonia aquifolium (52.7 ± 1.8 µg/cm²), highlighting the effectiveness of its base in facilitating skin penetration. F4 followed closely (46.5 ± 1.6 µg/cm²), while F1 showed the least permeation, attributed to its dense occlusive base. The optimized formulation, F3, underwent accelerated stability testing at 40°C for 3 months under ICH guidelines. The formulation was monitored for changes in pH, viscosity, spreadability, permeation, extrudability, and homogeneity. Drug release efficiency was maintained with negligible decline (52.7% to 51.8%), indicating no compromise in performance after storage. Extrudability remained consistent, indicating maintained usability