Development and Characterization of Hydrogel Containing Finasteride

The study developed a controlled-release hydrogel containing Finasteride using a cellulose-based hydrogel cross-linked with propylene glycol. The hydrogel showed good swelling and controlled release properties, with calcium chloride concentration affecting the swelling index but not drug content or t75% CDR. Increased reaction time improved drug content and t75% CDR without significantly affecting the swelling index. The best formulation (run BB1) had a drug content of 99.5%, a swelling index of 276.64%, and a t75% CDR of 3.5 hours, achieving 94.24% in vitro release in 6 hours. The hydrogel followed a Higuchi model with non-Fickian drug release and was stable over the study period, suggesting it can provide sustained release and better bioavailability.