Formulation, Development and Evaluation of Ophthalmic Solution of Timolol Maleate 0.5%

Abstract

Delivery of medication to the human eye is an integral part of medical treatment. Ophthalmic drug delivery is one of the most interesting and challenging endeavors facing the pharmaceutical scientist. The anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry of the eye render this organ highly impervious to foreign substances. A significant challenge to the formulator is to circumvent the protective barriers of the eye without causing permanent tissue damage. Development of newer, more sensitive diagnostic techniques and novel therapeutic agents continue to provide ocular delivery systems with high therapeutic efficacy. The preparation may have any several purposes like therapeutic, prophylactic or palliative. The versatility of dosage form enables therapeutic agent to be suitable for function of preparation. Therapeutically active formulation may be designed to provide extended action for either convenience or reduction in dose frequency, improved bioavailability of an agent or improved delivery to target tissue. The residence time of an ocular preparation may range from few seconds (ophthalmic solutions) to hours (gel, ointments), to months or years (intra ocular or periocular dosage forms). Ophthalmic preparations are similar to parenteral dosage form in their requirements for sterility as well as consideration for osmotic pressure (tonicity), preservation, and tissue compatibility, avoidance of pyrogens and particulate matter and suitable packaging.