Release of corticoids from oleaginous ointment bases containing drug in suspension

Simplified methods for studying the release of drugs suspended in oleaginous ointment bases were developed. These procedures were used in studying the release rates of two corticoids, fluocinonide and flucloronide, from white petrolatum and petrolatum containing various adjuvants. A practical method for measuring drug solubilities was developed and used in determining solubilities of these corticoids in ointment bases. When using physical data obtained from model ointments, the release rates of drugs from modified ointment bases were predicted. Comparisons of the observed and predicted rates from ointments containing hydrophobic adjuvants indicated the usefulness of the physical model approach in predicting the release rates. For ointments containing emulsifying agents, the simple model used did not provide useful predictions.