Design and evaluation of a lyophilized liposomal gel of an antiviral drug for intravaginal delivery

Liposomes of antiviral drug(acyclovir) prepared by rotary evaporation method were incorporated into two bioadhesive polymers, carbopol and HPMC and freeze dried to obtain a unit dosage form. The liposomes, liposomal gels and freeze dried rods were evaluated for various parameters. TEM analysis showed the formation of unilamellar liposomes with a mean diameter ranging from 0.9 μm to 1.2 μm. As the cholesterol content increases from 0.5% to 2%w/w, the entrapment efficiency and vesicle size increased. Carbopol gels exhibited higher viscosity, spreadability, mucoadhesiveness than HPMC gels. The redipsersion of freeze dried forms in SVF was found to be slow and its ex‐vivo retention time was found to be 12 hrs while acyclovir gel retained only for 8.25 hrs. The tablet and gel released 96.93±0.15% acyclovir within 6 hrs and 92.31±0.31% by 8 hrs respectively while freeze dried forms could sustain the release upto 12 hrs. From the stability studies the optimum storage condition was found to be 4‐8°C. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 39804.