Formulation and evaluation of benzyl benzoate topical preparations / Nurul Khairiyah Wanik

Background: Benzyl benzoate is one of the drugs used to treat scabies. However, efficiency of the treatment depends on the rate of penetration of the drug through to the target site of the skin. Different type of formulations with different rheological properties have different rate of penetration of the drug through the skin.
Objective: The purpose of this study is to find the relationship between the viscosity of different topical formulations and in vitro release of medicaments from them.
Methods: Different types of formulations such as lotion, emulsion, gel, ointment and emulgel have undergo viscosity observation by using Rheometer and also in vitro release studies by using Franz diffusion cell.
Results and discussion: Emulgel has released the highest amount of benzyl benzoate. The tested preparation can be arranged in the following descending order according to the release of benzyl benzoate: emulgel > lotion > emulsion > gel > ointment. The higher the viscosity of the formulation, the lower the amount of benzyl benzoate released. However, for emulgel the benzyl benzoate released is not depend on viscosity only. Composition of the emulgel which is the combination of emulsion and gel influences the amount of benzyl benzoate released.