ABSTRACT
The stratum corneum provides the principal barrier to the percutaneous absorption of topically applied drugs. It discusses a solvent-free topical drug carrier devoid of adverse effects based on drug entrapment in oil-in-water emulsion droplets of submicron size. Drug encapsulation in the oily droplets is required for using the submicron emulsion (SME) technology in topical products. The technology is more recommended for lipophilic or water-insoluble compounds. Topical application of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is commonly used as anelgetics and in the treatment of different arthropathies. Partition of entrapped drug between oil and water phases depends on drug lipophilicity and for ionizable drugs on the pH of the preparation. The effect of SME droplet size on pharmacological activity of encapsulated drug was investigated. Enhanced topical delivery of several lipophilic drugs included into SME-cream formulations has been demonstrated. Drug activity was increased 1.5 to 3-fold for antiinflammatory drugs.
