Formulation, Development and Evaluation of In-Situ Gel of Anti-Inflammatory Drug for Ocular Drug Delivery Systems

The design, development, and assessment of an in-situ gelling ocular drug delivery system for the anti-inflammatory medication bromfenac are the main objectives of this study. The quick precorneal clearance, short residence duration, and poor ocular bioavailability of conventional ophthalmic formulations, including eye drops, result in frequent dosing and decreased therapeutic efficacy. In order to get around these restrictions, an in-situ gel system was created that, when exposed to the physiological circumstances of the eye, goes through a sol-to-gel transition, extending the duration of drug residency and permitting continuous drug release. In this work, temperature- and ion-responsive polymers such Poloxamer 407, HPMC, and Gellan gum were used to create Bromfenac in-situ gels. Visual appearance, clarity, pH, gelation temperature, viscosity, drug content, rheological behaviour, and in-vitro drug release were all assessed for the formulations. The lack of drug–polymer interactions was verified by compatibility investigations (FTIR and DSC). The improved formulation demonstrated good drug content homogeneity, appropriate gelation at ocular temperature, and acceptable viscosity under shear stress. A prolonged drug release profile that followed Higuchi diffusion kinetics was shown in in vitro release tests, suggesting regulated release behaviour. The formulation's physiological acceptability was further validated by osmolarity, sterility, and microbiological analyses. All things considered, the created Bromfenac in-situ gel showed better ocular residence duration, prolonged drug release, and increased possibility for lowering dosage frequency. The results imply that for the treatment of ocular inflammation, in-situ gelling technologies offer a practical and patient-friendly substitute for traditional ophthalmic medications.