Design and Evaluation of Patches for Transdermal Delivery of Losartan Potassium

Abstract

The present work comprises the formulation and evaluation of losartan potassium with a view to developing and preparing a losartan potassium releasing system for transdermal applications. The aim of the study was to prepare the transdermal patch of drug using different blends of polymers. Transdermal patches of losartan potassium were prepared using ethyl cellulose (EC): polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), Eudragit RL-100: Eudragit RS-100 and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA): polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) using different ratios by the solvent casting technique. Physicochemical parameters like flexibility, thickness, smoothness, moisture content, hardness, and tensile strength were studied. The in vitro permeation study was carried out using a modified Keshery diffusion cell, and the formulation followed the Higuchi diffusion mechanism. The blood pressure lowering response of all formulations was studied using hypertension-induced rats by the chronic renal hypertension method. The formulation containing Eudragit RL-100: Eudragit RS-100 as polymers showed satisfactory drug release pattern (hydrophobic polymers) compared to combination of hydrophobic and hydrophilic polymers (EC: PVP) and PVA: PVP (hydrophilic polymers). The amount of drug release from formulations containing hydrophilic polymers and combination of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic polymers were found to be less in comparison to the patches of hydrophobic polymers. The aim of the present study was to prepare and evaluate the transdermal patch of drug using different polymers such as hydrophobic, combination of hydrophobic: hydrophilic, and hydrophilic. Losartan potassium (hydrophilic) is the antihypertensive drug used for lowering increased blood pressure. Transdermal patches of losartan potassium were prepared using different ratios of polymers by the solvent casting technique. The prepared patches were evaluated for their flexibility, thickness, smoothness, moisture content, hardness, and tensile strength. The in vitro permeation study was carried out using a diffusion cell. The blood lowering response of all formulations was studied using hypertension-induced rats. The formulation containing hydrophobic polymers showed a satisfactory drug release pattern compared to the combination of hydrophobic: hydrophilic polymers and the hydrophilic polymers. Hence, the present study reveals that formulation of hydrophilic drug (losartan potassium) withhydrophobic polymers exhibit good release properties as compared to that of hydrophilic polymers and combination of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic polymers.