Abstract

Ciprofloxacin hydrochloride being a fluoroquinolone antibacterial drug is very frequently preferred in the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis by the eye specialists. Addition of loteprednol etabonate only adds up to the anti-inflammatory activity of the developed formulation. The objective of the present work was to develop ocular inserts of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride with loteprednol etabonate and further evaluate its potential as a sustained novel ocular drug delivery system. Ophthalmic solutions, suspensions are known for its poor bioavailability and poor therapeutic responses due to many pre-corneal constraints. The researchers usually get triggered with these constrains and strive to formulate controlled and sustained drug delivery system. Ocular inserts based on solvent cast technique were formulated and characterized for in vitro drug release studies using a flow through apparatus that simulated the eye conditions. Compatibility of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, loteprednol etabonate, polymer and excipients were checked as preliminary preformulation studies. Different combinations of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, loteprednol etabonate, carbopol 974, 980, 981, polyethylene glycol 400 and glycerine were formulated by solvent cast method and optimized on was evaluated. Fabricated ocuserts were evaluated for its clarity, smoothness, surface pH, drug content and in vitro drug release study to find the optimized film. Formula ciprofloxacin hydrochloride with loteprednol etabonate and carbopol 980 was found to be the best formulation fulfilling the needs of all organoleptic parameters and also the in vitro release study. Based on in vitro correlation and stability studies, it was concluded that this ocular insert formulation could be a promising controlled release formulation for the researchers.