Effect of molecular weight and concentration hyaluronan on the in-vitro release characteristics of ibuprofen and diclofenac sodium across cellulose membrane

Hyaluronan (HA) is a naturally occurring polyanionic glycosaminoglycan. Drugs formulated in HA and applied topically are retained in the skin with little systemic absorption (Brown et al 2000, 2001). However, the precise mechanism of action of HA that facilitates drug delivery and promotes drug localization remain unclear. In this study we investigated the in-vitro release characteristics of two NSAID drugs, ibuprofen (IBF) and diclofenac sodium (DFS), incorporated into vehicles containing four different molecular weight (MW) grades and different concentrations of HA across cellulose membrane