279 KUCHEKAR & BHISE: FORMULATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF ANTIPSORIATIC HERBAL GELCREAM Journal of Scientific & Industrial Research Vol. 71, April 2012, pp. 279-284 *Author for correspondence E-mail: ksbhise@rediffmail.com Formulation and development of antipsoriatic herbal gelcream Shantanu Kuchekar and Kiran Bhise* Department of Pharmaceutics, MCE Society’s Allana College of Pharmacy, Azam Campus, Pune 411 001, India Received 20 September 2011; revised 29 December 2011; accepted 30 January 2012 This study presents formulation and development of patient friendly antipsoriatic topical gelcreams using Simulgel NS and Sepicide HB with Myrrh oil. Optimized formulation F5 depicted that gelcream had a viscoelastic nature with good creep recovery, and non-Newtonian behavior. Stability studies for three months at 40± 2 o C and 75±5% RH of Formulation F5 showed no change in colour and consistency, and pH remained between 5.7 and 5.9. Primary skin irritation test conducted on 30 healthy volunteers demonstrated nonirritating nature of F5. Thus Simulgel NS and Sepicide HB (conc., 2% w/v each) were found to give better anti- inflammatory gelcream containing myrrh oil with good consistency and stability. Keywords: Factorial design, Gelcream, Myrrh oil, Psoriasis Introduction Psoriasis is an inflammatory condition of skin, and has affected 1-2% of US population 1,2 . Patients with psoriasis experience itching, scaly, painful, and disfiguring skin lesions. Although there is no cure for psoriasis, several treatments can minimize skin lesions and associated symptoms 3 . Common triggers include alcohol, smoking, an injury to skin (cut, scrape, insect bite, sunburn), stress, antimalarial and antiinflammatory medicines including ibuprofen, ACE inhibitors and beta blockers 4 . Some studies 5,6 have addressed research on allopathic topical antipsoriatic drug. However, limited work has been performed on the formulation of antipsoriatic creams with traditional medicines 7,8 . Topical antipsoriatic formulations have mostly been designed as ointments or creams that have disadvantages of stickiness, irritation, oily feeling and poor spreadability. However, gelcreams are preferred for topical application 9 due to easy spreadability, cooling and nonoily effects. Myrrh, an oleo- gum-resin obtained from Commiphora myrrha (T. Nees) Engl., contains volatile oil (2-10%), which is composed predominantly of sesquiterpenes, sterols, and steroids 10 . This study presents formulation of a herbal antipsoriatic gelcream. Experimental Section Marker Myrrh oil was purchased from Cosmochem Research Lab; Simulgel NS and Sepicide HB were obtained as gift samples from Kreglinger Supplier, Belgium, Europe and other reagents and solvents were purchased from Loba Chemie Pvt Ltd, Mumbai. Extraction of Oil 11 Dried Myrrh gum (50 g) was crushed and introduced in half filled 500 ml round bottom flask with distilled water. Flask was attached to Clevenger apparatus. Mixture was heated at 80-90 o C for 4-5 h. Further oil layer was separated from aqueous layer and stored in tightly sealed vials. Characterization of Oil, Polymer and Preservative Oil, polymer Simulgel NS and preservative Sepicide HB were analyzed for color, odour, appearance, solubility, pH and viscositiy. Myrrh oil was dissolved in ethanol and phosphate buffer pH 5.8 (7:3) to prepare dilutions (conc., 1-10 μg/ml). Calibration curve was plotted by using UV/VIS spectrophotometer- JASCO V 530 at λ max (Fig. 1). Gelcream Formulation and Evaluation Trial batches of gelcreams were prepared by mixing together 5% of Myrrh oil with Simulgel NS and Sepicide HB in different ratios (1:1, 2:1, 1:2, 2:2, 2:3, 3:2, 3:3, 3:4, 4:3); glycerine, propylene glycol and rose oil with