Brucine-Loaded Ethosomal Gel: Design, Optimization, and Anti-inflammatory Activity

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology and Pharmaceutics
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Natural Product Chemistry

Background:

• Brucine, a natural anti-inflammatory agent from Nux vomica, faces formulation challenges due to drawbacks.
• Optimizing Brucine delivery is crucial for effective pharmaceutical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design, optimize, and evaluate Brucine ethosomal gel for enhanced anti-inflammatory performance.
• To assess the stability, physical characteristics, and release profile of the ethosomal gel.

Main Methods:

• Brucine ethosomal formulations prepared via thin film hydration and optimized using central composite design.
• Evaluation included physical properties, in vitro release, ex vivo permeation, skin irritation, and carrageenan-induced rat paw edema test.

Main Results:

• Optimized ethosomal gel showed favorable physical characteristics and extended in vitro release for 6 hours.
• Significantly higher skin permeation (p<0.05) with a transdermal flux of 0.548 ± 0.03 μg/cm²h and an enhancement ratio of 2.73 ± 0.23.
• Brucine ethosomal gel demonstrated potent anti-inflammatory activity, significantly reducing rat hind paw edema within 24 hours.

Conclusions:

• Ethosomal gel serves as a promising carrier for Brucine, enhancing its anti-inflammatory efficacy.
• The developed formulation offers a viable strategy for improving topical drug delivery of natural anti-inflammatory agents.