Articles Accepted

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder requiring localized and sustained drug delivery to reduce systemic side effects of conventional therapy. This study focused on the development and optimization of a flurbiprofen-loaded microsphere gel for topical application in RA management. Flurbiprofen was encapsulated in ethyl cellulose microspheres using a solvent evaporation technique with polyvinyl alcohol as a stabilizer, and key formulation variables were optimized through a Box–Behnken design. The optimized microspheres displayed spherical morphology, particle sizes ranging from 33–51 μm, and high entrapment efficiency (87.9%). These were incorporated into a Carbopol 940 gel base exhibiting appropriate pH, viscosity, and spreadability. In vitro diffusion demonstrated sustained release of 87% over 540 minutes, while stability testing confirmed formulation robustness. In vivo studies using the carrageenan-induced paw edema model revealed superior anti-inflammatory activity at 20 mg/kg compared with a marketed product. The optimized gel offers a promising approach for effective RA management with improved patient compliance.