Prolongation of anti-inflammatory effect of prednisolone acetate. Influence of formulation in high-viscosity gel.

Prednisolone acetate was formulated in a high-viscosity carboxypolymethylene gel at concentrations of 0.125% and 1.0%. The ability of these gel preparations to suppress inflammation in the cornea was assessed and compared with the antiinflammatory capabilities of conventional commercially available prednisolone acetate ophthalmic suspensions. When administered hourly, the gel formulations produced no greater anti-inflammatory effect than the conventional suspensions. However, the gel formulations were equal in effect to the suspensions and maintained their effects considerably longer than did the suspensions. When applied at intervals up to and including four hours, there was no falloff in effect; the gel demonstrated a level of anti-inflammatory effectiveness that could not be distinguished from hourly administration of the suspension.