Development, Formulation and Evaluation of Tobramycin-Loaded Hydrogel for Enhanced Antimicrobial Activity

Authors

  • Survase Abhijeet B
  • Khedkar Samrat A
  • Tamboli Muskan A
  • Naiknaware Manorama N
  • Gholave Akansha V
  • Sawant Pradnya B

Keywords:

Tobramycin, Hydrogel, Carbopol 934, HPMC, Antimicrobial activity, Controlled drug delivery

Abstract

The present investigation aimed to develop and evaluate a tobramycin-loaded hydrogel for effective topical antimicrobial
therapy. Conventional antibiotic dosage forms often suffer from poor patient compliance, systemic toxicity, and frequent
dosing requirements. To overcome these limitations, a hydrogel-based drug delivery system was formulated using Carbopol
934 and Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC) as polymeric matrices. Tobramycin, a broad-spectrum aminoglycoside
antibiotic, was incorporated into the hydrogel to achieve localized and sustained drug release. Preformulation studies
confirmed the suitability of the drug for hydrogel formulation, with a λmax of 210 nm and high aqueous solubility. The
prepared hydrogel was evaluated for physicochemical properties including pH, viscosity, Spreadability, homogeneity,
extrudability, and drug content uniformity. The optimized formulation exhibited a pH of 6.6 ± 0.1, viscosity of 18,500 ± 250
cP, and drug content of 98.6 ± 1.2%, indicating good stability and uniformity. In-vitro drug release studies demonstrated a
sustained release profile over 12 hours, with 96.8% cumulative drug release. Release kinetics followed the Higuchi model
(R² = 0.981), indicating diffusion-controlled drug release. Antimicrobial activity studies revealed significant inhibitory
effects against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with the highest activity observed
against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Stability studies confirmed that the formulation remained stable under storage conditions
without significant changes in physicochemical properties. The findings suggest that the developed tobramycin hydrogel is
a promising candidate for topical antimicrobial therapy with improved efficacy, sustained drug release, and enhanced patient
compliance1,5....

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Published

2025-12-16

How to Cite

1.
Abhijeet B S, Samrat A K, Muskan A T, Manorama N N, Akansha V G, Pradnya B S. Development, Formulation and Evaluation of Tobramycin-Loaded Hydrogel for Enhanced Antimicrobial Activity . J Neonatal Surg [Internet]. 2025 Dec. 16 [cited 2026 Jul. 26];14(33S):1134-42. Available from: https://jneonatalsurg.com/index.php/jns/article/view/10359

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 33S (2025): Journal of Neonatal Surgery

Section

Original Article

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