Final answer:
Poloxamers are used in aloe vera gel, hand sanitizers, and ophthalmic products for their surfactant and emulsifier properties. They help improve the consistency, stability, and effectiveness of these products. Poloxamers are also employed in sophisticated drug delivery systems involving chemotherapeutic agents like Paclitaxel.
Step-by-step explanation:
Poloxamers are a class of polymers that are commonly used in various pharmaceutical and cosmetic formulations due to their surfactant and emulsifier properties. They can contribute to the overall stability, texture, and efficacy of products. They may be used in aloe vera gel formulations for their moisturizing, stabilizing, and emulsifying effects, as well as in hand sanitizers to improve skin feel and product consistency. Moreover, poloxamers are used in ophthalmic products like eye drops, serving to enhance medication solubility, prolong retention time, and reduce surface tension for increased comfort.
Moreover, poloxamer technology is used in drug delivery systems, such as those involving albumin-based and micellar implementations, including Micellar retinoid-derived systems and PEG/polyamino acid variants. These systems are employed for drugs like Paclitaxel and Oxaliplatin, renowned for their use in oncology, and can be found in pharmaceutical products such as Abraxane® and Genexol-PM®.
Lastly, a new type of disinfectant, o-phthalaldehyde (OPA), is gaining popularity for disinfecting medical equipment, part of the evolving landscape which poloxamers also inhabit. It is found in newer formulations replacing glutaraldehyde like that in some Cidex products, highlighting the continual innovation within pharmaceutical excipients and disinfectants.