Fatima J.Al_Gawhari

Diclofenac sodium (DF) niosomes was formulated by sonication method using various proportions of tween 40, span 40 and cholesterol. Each formulation (F1, F2 and F3) was evaluated for vesicle size, drug entrapment efficiency, release of drug, osmotic and rheological properties. F1 with high surfactant level 20 µmol % of each surfactant tween 40 and span 40 has high entrapment efficiency (90.1%), high retention for DF during storage at 4˚C, 304 nm vesicle size and 96% release for 12 hours. All formulations have shear thinning flow and membrane rigidity due to presence of cholesterol in their bilayer membrane. Hence, using niosomes as an oral drug delivery system for DF is feasible approach.