Organogel as Drug Delivery System: Review

Abstract

Background: Gels are employed as a carrier medium/network for the delivery of topical medicines. Due to number of benefits gels are gaining attention day by day as a drug delivery system. Among gels Organogelare preferably active for incorporating lipophilic and hydrophilic drugs within the same gel network.

Aim: To emphasize about the basics of Organogel. Their introduction types, composition, properties, methods of preparation and advantages and applications and most importantly as topical drug delivery system.

Definition: The Organogel comes under the semi solid preparations with a definition of having two phases,one of which is organic liquid which gets immobilized by the other, that is an organogelators.

Composition: Organogel are, “mixture of lipophilic liquid and solid lipid, in which solid lipid having concentrations (<10%) can entangle bulk liquid oil by formingthreedimensionalnetwork by the physical interaction of self-assembled organogelatorsin the bulk oil”².

Properties: Generally Organogel are thermodynamically stable system, viscoelastic, biphasic system, no irritating, have low degree of hydration in comparison to hydrogels. Exhibit morphological and rheological properties

Method of Preparation: Solid fiber Matrix and fluid filled matrix are most common methods adopted for Organogel preparations.

Characterization: viscoelasticity, pH, Firmness, In vitro drug, release, stability, phase transition, and structural features,Invitro release, skin permeability were discussed along with different factors that affectOrganogel.

Applications: Organogel are used for both oral and topical delivery of number of drugs. They are used for local as well as are capable of systemic percutaneous absorption due to their lipophilic nature and penetration potentiates by the presence of penetration enhancer³.

Keywords: Organogels, Organogelator, Solvents, Drug delivery system