Transfersomal gel nanocarriers for enhancement the permeation of lornoxicam

In respect to the major gastrointestinal disorders associated with oral administration of Lornoxicam, LOR, a potent anti-inflammatory drug, topical delivery could be an alternative route of administration. The objective of this work was to formulate LOR in the form of topical hydrogel after encapsulation into deformable vesicles, transfersomes, TRSs for maximum penetration and activity. LOR TRSs were prepared through thin film hydration technique and characterized for their encapsulation efficiency, size, charge, morphology and stability. Furthermore, LOR transfersomal and non-transfersomal hydrogels were prepared using different gelling agents and characterized for their pH, contents, viscosity, homogeneity, skin irritation, in vitro release, skin permeation, and pharmacodynamic activity. Results revealed that optimum LOR TRSs had an encapsulation efficiency of 99.34 ± 0.2%, size of 233.5 ± 12.5 nm and zeta potential of −35.34 ± 0.78 mV. Furthermore, they showed higher chemical and physical stability when stored in the fridge. Transfersomal hydrogels stabilized with sodium deoxycholate showed higher drug permeation through rat skin. In addition, they have higher flux and apparent permeability coefficient and superior anti-inflammatory activity compared to non-transfersomal LOR hydrogel and indomethacin gel as a standard NSAID. These findings confirmed that LOR transfersomal hydrogel is a promising topical formulation for effective treatment of local inflammatory conditions.