Ethosomes, binary ethosomes and transfersomes of terbinafine hydrochloride: a comparative study

The aim of this study was to compare the skin permeation of ethosomes, binary ethosomes and transfersomes of Terbinafine Hydrochloride (TH) under non-occlusive conditions. These lipid vesicles were prepared and characterized for shape, size, zeta-potential and entrapment efficiency. Franz diffusion cells and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) were used for the percutaneous absorption studies. The quantity of drug in the skin from ethosomes, binary ethosomes (the weight ratio of ethanol to propylene glycol 7:3, ethanol-PG = 7:3, w/w), and transfersomes was 1.26, 1.51 (p <0.05), 1.56 (p <0.01) times higher than that of TH from traditional liposomes (control). The skin deposition of the applied dose (DD%) of TH from ethosomes, binary ethosomes, and transfersomes was 3.34 (p < 0.05), 9.88 (p < 0.01), 2.52 times higher than that of TH from control. The results of CLSM experiments showed that penetration depth and fluorescence intensity of Rhodamine B from binary ethosomes was much greater than that from ethosomes and transfersomes. These results indicated the binary ethosomes (ethanol-PG = 7:3, w/w) most effectively permitted drug penetration through skin; transfersomes made drug easiest to accumulate in the skin. Ethosomes improved drug delivery with greater improvement in skin permeation than improvement in skin deposition.