Abstract

Radhika Sharma, Manoj Kumar Katual*, Gurdeep Kaur, Sandeep Kaur and S.L.Harikumar

ABSTRACT

Transdermal drug delivery system was first introduced more than 40 years ago. The technology generated tremendous excitement and interest amongst major pharmaceutical companies in the 1980s and 90s. By the mid to late 1990s, the trend of transdermal drug delivery system merged into larger organizations. Ethosomes are the ethanolic phospholipid vesicles which are used mainly for transdermal delivery of drugs. Ethosomes have higher penetration rate through the skin as compared to liposomes hence these can be used widely in place of liposomes. Ethosomes have become an area of research interest, because of its enhanced skin permeation, improved drug delivery, increased drug entrapment efficiency etc. The purpose of writing this review on ethosomes drug delivery was to compile the focus on the various aspects of ethosomes including their mechanism of penetration, preparation, advantages, composition, characterization, application and marketed product of ethosomes. Characterizations of ethosomes include Particle size, Zeta potential, Differential Scanning Calorimertry, Entrapment efficiency, Surface tension activity measurement, Vesicle stability and Penetration Studies etc. A transdermal patch is a medicated adhesive patch that is placed on the skin to deliver a specific dose of medication through the skin and into the bloodstream. Often, this promotes healing to an injured area of the body. An advantage of a transdermal drug delivery route over other types of medication delivery such as oral, topical, intravenous, intramuscular, etc. is that the patch provides a controlled release of the medication into the patient, usually through either a porous membrane covering a reservior of medication or through body heat melting thin layers of medication embedded in the adhesive. Transdermal drug delivery offers controlled release of the drug into the patient, it enables a steady blood level profile, resulting in reduced systemic side effects and, sometimes, improved efficacy over other dosage forms.