Comparative Analysis of Loxoprofen Loaded Ethosomal Gel Formulations Incorporating Carbopol and Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose

Transdermal delivery is recognized as one of the most advantageous non-invasive drug delivery technologies; but the skin's natural barrier, particularly the stratum corneum, restricts drug permeation. However, ethosomes, which are phospholipid vesicles containing ethanol, have the potential to enhance transdermal drug delivery. They are integrated into various vehicles to create innovative pharmaceutical formulations like ethosomal gels (EGs). This study aimed to assess the appropriateness of various grades of carbopol and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as gel matrices for ethosomal suspensions intended for transdermal delivery of loxoprofen (used as a model medication). Additionally, the effect of lyophilization on hydrogel was studied. Five EGs (EG1-EG5) were developed and analyzed for their viscosity, pH, drug content, and in vitro drug release. Additionally, the ex vivo penetration of EG was compared with that in a gel formed from a hydroethanolic solution of drug (Sol-G). The results revealed that, compared to HPMC, carbopol exhibited superior gelling properties, and the drug release from the lyophilized optimized EG (EG5) was much higher (95.44±0.8%) over 12 hours than that of other formulations (p < 0.05). Moreover, the skin permeation investigation employing rat skin indicated that the EG5 exhibited a markedly greater flux (J) value and apparent permeability (Papp) in comparison to Sol-G. It can be concluded that the loxoprofen-loaded ethosomes were successfully formulated in gel form and can be of use for transdermal delivery.