Topical gel: a novel approach for pain relief treatment

Abstract

The main advantage of topical delivery system is to bypass the first pass metabolism, avoidance of the risk and annoyance of intravenous therapy and of the varied conditions of absorption, like pH changes, gastric emptying time and presence of enzyme. Gel formulation provides better application property and stability in comparison to cream and ointment. Skin is one of the most extensive and readily accessible organs on human body for topical administration. Topical appliance of drugs offers probable advantages of delivering the drug directly to the site of action and acting for an extended period of time. The topical drug delivery scheme is generally used where the others system of drug administration fails or it is mainly used in contraception, urinary incontinence and pain management. This review describes the assorted formulation aspects, a variety of excipients, evaluation tests, challenges and drugs explored in the pasture of topical drug delivery.

Key Words: Topical gel, Skin, Urinary incontinence, Novel technology