ABSTRACT
Skin disorders currently affect millions of people worldwide with physical and often traumatic psychological implications for quality of life. The primitive topical application of mud, urine, oils, plant extracts and animal products give evidence to the knowledge of ancient societies on the need to maintain a healthy skin and treat skin disorders. Cyclodextrins were first isolated and reported by the French scientist Villiers in 1891, as the product of bacteria-induceddegradation of starch. The developments of biotechnological and industrial chemistry processes of the 20th century led to the synthetic or semi- synthetic modification of many natural molecules. In the treatment of any skin disorder, the efficacy of dermal therapy is dependent on the efficient delivery of the drug to the target sites of drug action. Skin penetration enhancers are a group of agents used in dermal formulations to facilitate the disruption of physiological barrier system of the skin for enhanced drug penetration.
