Shrikant Verma

The aim of present study,  To formulate and characterized  proniosome contain flurbiprofen in a gel formulation for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and enhanced skin targeted effect, sustained & prolonged drug release, enhanced skin bioavailability by using different type of non ionic surfactant & cholesterol. The batches were designed using Box Behnken Design and prepared by coacervation phase separation method. Optimized formulation (PNGopt) showed drug entrapment efficiency of 74.46% and particle size 215nm. In-vitro drug release from PNGopt was found to be 84.15 in 24 hrs. The In-vitro drug release was best explained by zero order kinetics as the plot showed highest linearity and release was governed by Quasi Fickian diffusion.

The proniosomal approach helps to solve the problem regarding stability and provides higher entrapment efficiency over conventional system. Proniosomal gel is a liquid crystalline- compact niosomal hybrid which is prepared by dissolving surfactant in small amount of suitable solvent and least amount of aqueous phase. This compact gel can be converted to niosomes hydration. Proniosomes can entrap hydrophilic as well as lipophillic drugs. Proniosomal gel offers a versatile vesicle drug delivery concept with potential for drug delivery via transdermal rout. Over the last few years an inclusive research has been done over pro-vesicular approach for transdermal drug delivery. Skin has a very tough diffusion barrier inhibiting penetration of drug moiety which is rate limiting barrier for penetration of drugs. There are several approaches that deal with penetration enhancement across the skin. Vesicular and provesicular systems are promising amongst them. Vesicular systems including (niosomes, ethosomes, transfersomes and liposomes) are promising systems to cross this permeation barrier.