Formulation and evaluation of mucoadhesive tablets containing eugenol for the treatment of periodontal diseases.

Eugenol is the principle chemical constituent of clove oil and has been used to cure dental problems for ages. Eugenol is an integral part of the dentist's kit due to its analgesic, local anesthetic, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial effects. It is used in the form of a paste or mixture as dental cement, filler, and restorative material. This study reports the development and evaluation of controlled-release mucoadhesive tablets for gingival application, containing eugenol, which are prepared by taking carbopol 934 P and Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) K4M in the ratio of 1:2, 1:1, and 2:1. Incorporation of eugenol (10 mg) in a mucoadhesive formulation provides controlled release for a period of 8 hours, which is advantageous over conventional use. In vitro mucoadhesion measured as detachment force in grams and the formulations show good correlation in vivo. The release study indicates that increase in carbopol increases the release rate of eugenol from the formulation whereas HPMC retards it. Increased in vitro bioadhesion is related to HPMC content of the formulation. The release kinetics of eugenol in vitro correlates with the in vivo results. This indicates the increased potential of eugenol as antibacterial, local analgesic, and anaesthetic treatment.