Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition associated with painful joint destruction. The lack of possible cure and associated disadvantages in allopathic medicine has led to extensive research in natural products with anti-rheumatoid activity. Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) was found to be efficacious and cost effective anti-inflammatory drug with least side effects as compared to the synthetic drugs used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Therefore, this drug selected for the present study. Considering above justification an attempt was made to design and develop herbal anti-rheumatic transdermal drug delivery system wherein biphasic drug delivery system of herbal drug in the form of emulgel was formulated and their effect was compared to gel formulation. The factorial and optimized batches evaluated for the various parameters like Drug content, % Drug release and Stability study. From this studies F3 formulation showed maximum % drug release and optimum parameters like pH,Viscosity, Consistency, Spreadability (Spreading Coefficient),Drug Content, Swelling Index and Extrudability Study.