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THE ROLE OF MICROSTRUCTURAL TESTING IN THE ASSESSMENT OF THE IN VITRO RELEASE PROFILES FROM TOPICAL SEMISOLID FORMULATIONS

HORAȚIU-MARIUS VIZITEU, DALIA-SIMONA MIRON *, DUMITRU LUPULIASA, FLAVIAN-ȘTEFAN RĂDULESCU

Centre for Drug Sciences, Biopharmaceutics Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Bucharest, 6 Traian Vuia Street, 020956, Bucharest, Romania

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The in vitro release tests (IVRT) represent a simple and reproducible methodological approach for the comparative assessment of the performance of topical semisolid dosage forms. The current study explored the relationship between the in vitro release rate and microstructural parameters for six ibuprofen 5% gels, with known differences in qualitative composition. The in vitro performance was assessed using two types of diffusion cells and similar test conditions. The microstructural characterization included rheological, water activity and evaporative loss analysis. The results confirmed the complex relationship between the characteristics of the semisolid matrix and the release profiles. IVRT seemed to be reflective for the cumulative impact of the identified differences.