Enhanced Transdermal Drug Penetration of Curcumin via Ethosomes

Abstract

The objective of the present research work is to overcome the barriers of poor oral bioavailability through transdermal drug delivery (TDD). Among the available transdermal systems, ethosomes are the promising ones with increased penetration effect due to the combination of lipid bilayer and ethanol in its structure. Curcumin has poor oral bioavailability and can be given as transdermal ethosomes to enhance bioavailability along with local action of antiinflammation. Curcumin ethosomes were prepared and optimised for lipid and ethanol concentrations based on entrapment efficiency, vesicular size and drug penetration. Drug penetration capability of the ethosomes was compared with aqueous, ethanolic and liposomal solutions. The optimised ethosomes were compared for the cumulative drug penetration (74.2±0.236%) into skin with aqueous (5.61±0.263%), ethanolic (62.31±0.263%), liposomal (59.3±0.44%) and ethosomal curcumin-β-cyclodextrin complex (78.01±0.22). It was found that the penetration was enhanced and maximum in ethosomes incorporated with curcumin-β-cyclodextrin complex because of combined effects of ethanol, lipid bilayer along with increased dissolution of curcumin with β-cyclodextrin complex. This formulation will be suitable to treat local skin inflammations with enhanced penetration via ethosomes incorporated with curcumin-β-cyclodextrin complex.