Ethanolic Liposomal Gel for the Treatment of Lapromatous Leprosy

What is it about?

Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is a worldwide health problem. Dapsone (DAP) has dual therapeutic activity and demonstrates antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. DAP is classified as a class II drug according to the Biopharmaceutics Classification System, and has high permeability and low solubility in water (log P = 0.97). Thus, despite its therapeutic potential, the low solubility of DAP in water results in low bioavailability and microbial resistance. Oral administration of DAP is associated with several adverse effects, including hemolytic anemia, peripheral neuropathy, nausea, and headache. Penicillin, Cloxacillin Sodium (CLXS), and erythromycin should be enough to cover 90 per cent of Gram-positive infections. Ethosomes loaded with DAP and CLXS were formulated with the objective to localize the drug delivery into deep skin strata and to improve the solubility and availability of the drug at the targeted site that reduced the dose and the systemic side effects associated with conventional treatments. Ethosome has an ability to efficiently entrap various molecules, like hydrophilic, lipophilic and amphiphilic molecules.

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Why is it important?

The present investigation was aimed to develop superior and safer ethosomal formulation that can improve the topical delivery of drugs and at the same time reduce the amount of ethanol by Quality by Design (QbD) so as to reduce the risk of adverse effects associated with the higher concentration of ethanol used in ethosomes. An irritation study has been performed to layout the safety analysis of ethosomal gel across the skin. Ethosomal gel of DAP and CLXS will provide targeting based controlled drug delivery system and increase contact time period of drug with effective site. Formulated Ethosomal gel of DAP and CLXS (G5) batch optimized higher permeation rate and follow zero order release kinetics model.

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