Development of Transdermal Drug Dosage Formulation for the Anti-rheumatic Ayurvedic Medicinal Plants

The present investigation was aimed to formulate transdermal films incorporating herbal drug components. The allopathic system of medicine includes two conventional lines of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, which come along with certain side effects. Hence, turning to safe, effective and time-tested Ayurvedic herbal drug formulation would be a preferable option. With this view transdermal films incorporating herbal drug components such as boswellic acid (Boswellia serrata) and curcumin (Curcuma longa) was envisaged. The drugs were selected on the basis that they produce synergistic action in suppressing inflammation and are proved time tested and safe drug. The polymeric films were evaluated for their physical properties like percentage flatness, thickness uniformity, and drug content and diffusion studies across hairless mouse skin. The average per cent release of curcumin was found to be 50.70% and 69.84% for boswellic acid (peak 1) and 64.84% for boswellic acid (peak 2) in the hydroalcoholic diffusion medium at the end of 9 hrs. The graphs obtained for the average per cent release through transdermal film indicate drug release occurred at a constant rate. The skin irritation study done on albino rabbit skin showed that the formulation does not produce irritation to the skin. Overall, it was observed that the well-known ayurvedic drugs have been found to be effective through modern pharmaceutical formulation techniques.