New Gel Approaches for the Transdermal Delivery of Meloxicam

Meloxicam is a promising non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for acute and chronic pain prevention and treatment. Due to its poor water solubility, the clinical use of meloxicam is limited. In addition, for transdermal applications, the impermeability of the skin makes it difficult to conceive an appropriate NSAID-based delivery system that can penetrate through the skin barrier. Hydrophilic/hydrophobic gels, designed as transdermal drug delivery systems, can considerably improve other drug administration types (such as oral or intravenous), avoiding or limiting the side effects. The main purpose of this paper is to present some physicochemical and pharmaceutical considerations about meloxicam and to review the most important research concerning the gels used for the transdermal delivery of meloxicam. Thus, smart polymeric networks, semi-solid systems (lipogels, emulgels), β-cyclodextrin-based gels, liposomes (ethosomes, niosomes, flexosomes, transferosomes, menthosomes, invasomes), and nanostructured lipid carriers, with analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity, are discussed. The key objective of this study was to highlight various gel formulations with enhanced properties, which could be used in a minimally invasive manner for the sustained administration of meloxicam.