Background: The present study describes glycerosomes (vesicles composed of phospholipids, glycerol and water) as a novel drug delivery system for topical application of celecoxib (CLX) and cupferron (CUP) compound.
Aim: The goal of this research was to design topical soft innovative vesicles loaded with CLX or CUP for enhancing the efficacy and avoiding systemic toxicity of CLX and CUP.
Methods: CLX and CUP loaded glycerosomes were prepared by hydrating phospholipid-cholesterol films with glycerol aqueous solutions (20-40%, v/v). Box-Behnken design, using Design-Expert® software, was the optimum choice to statistically optimize formulation variables. Three independent variables were evaluated: phospholipid concentration (X1), glycerol percent (X2) and tween 80 concentration (X3). The glycerosomes particle size (Y1), encapsulation efficiency percent (Y2: EE %) and drug release (Y3) were selected as dependent variables. The anti-inflammatory effect of CLX and CUP glycerosomal gel was evaluated by carrageenan-induced rat paw edema method followed by histopathological studies.
Results: The optimized formulations (CLX2* and CUP1*) showed spherical morphology under transmission electron microscopy, optimum particle size of 195.4 ± 3.67 nm, 301.2 ± 1.75 nm, high EE of 89.66 ± 1.73%, 93.56 ± 2.87%, high drug release of 47.08 ± 3.37%, 37.60 ± 1.89% and high cumulative amount of drug permeated in 8 h of 900.18 ± 50.24, 527.99 ± 34.90 µg.cm-2 through hairless rat skin, respectively. They also achieved significant remarkable paw edema inhibition in comparison with the control group (p < .05).
Conclusion: Finally, the administration of CLX2* and CUP1* loaded glycerosomal gel onto the skin resulted in marked reduction of edema, congestive capillary and inflammatory cells and this approach may be of value in the treatment of different inflammatory disorders.
Keywords: Celecoxib; cupferron compound; gel; glycerosomes; topical.