Bigel as Advanced Drug Delivery Systems: Formulation and Evaluation of Azelaic Acid for Acne Management

This study focuses on the formulation, development,and evaluation of a bigel system incorporating azelaic acid (AzA) for effective acne management. Bigels are advanced drug delivery systems that combine the properties of hydrogels and organogels, offering improved drug delivery for topical applications. Azelaic acid was selected as the active pharmaceutical ingredient duetoits anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, andanti- keratinizing properties, which help in targetingthe key pathogenic factors of acne such as follicular hyperkeratosis, microbial proliferation, and inflammation. The bigel formulations were prepared by combininghydrogel and organogel in different ratios, incorporating 5% w/w AzA. The prepared formulations were evaluated for physicochemical parameters including physical appearance, pH, viscosity, spreadability, extrudability, and drug content. All formulations exhibited acceptable characteristics with pH in the range of 6.5-7.1, indicating suitability for topical application. Viscosity was found to be inversely proportional to spreadability and extrudability. Drug content analysis revealedsatisfactory incorporation of azelaic acid, with the optimized formulation showing 91.2% ± 1.25% drugcontent.Among all formulations, BG5 was identified as the optimized formulation due to its favorable balanceof low viscosity, high spreadability, good extrudability, acceptable pH, and uniform drug distribution. The study demonstrates that bigels can improve the topicalapplicability, stability, and physicochemical performance of azelaic acid.Therefore, bigel systems show significant potential as a promising topical drug deliveryapproach for improved acne management.