Physicochemical and Drug Release Characterization of Lidocaine-Loaded Transdermal Patches Prepared from STR-5L Block Rubber

Abstract

The aims of this study were to formulate 5% lidocaine-loaded transdermal patches using STR-5L block rubber as a main component of the patch base and to investigate their physicochemical characteristics, in vitro drug release, and stability. The results suggested that STR-5L block rubber could be feasibly used as a main component of the base of pharmaceutical transdermal patches with acceptable physicochemical properties. STR-5L block rubber patches containing lidocaine exhibited lower moisture absorption when compared with the blank counterparts because the drug molecules inserted between the polymer chains. Lidocaine still showed its own crystallinity characteristics after crushing and mixing in STR-5L block rubber patches. Additionally, no chemical interaction between the drug and polymer base was found. The drug-loaded patches could provide drug release with the best fitted to Higuchi square root of time. They had good stability during the studied period of 3 months when kept at 4 °C.