Formulation and In-vitro Evaluation of Transdermal Patches of Anti-Arthritic Ayurvedic Medicinal Plants

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 Aloe gel (Aloe barbadensis) was envisioned. Transdermal patches of herbal extracts were prepared by solvent casting method. The patches were optimized on the basis of physicochemical evaluation such as thickness, folding endurance, physical appearance, uniformity of weight, moisture content, moisture uptake, pH and in vitro drug release, Dissolution studies. The graphs obtained for the average absorbance release with respect to time through transdermal film indicate drug release occurred at a constant rate. The skin irritation study done on wister rats skin showed that the formulation does not produce irritation to the skin. Overall, present study assures a novel approach in execution of transdermal delivery technology in the field of herbals.