Effect of vehicle on topical liposomal drug delivery: petrolatum bases

Liposornes used for topical applications are often incorporated into a vehicle to achieve suitable viscosity and application properties. The effect of incorporation of liposomes into white petrolatum as a possible dermatological base was investigated. A number of formulae were developed to determine the type of petrolatum base that would be compatible with the liposomes. The physical appearance and stability of the vaseline-liposome (VL) preparations were determined by organoleptic analysis and microscopy. The effect of petrolatum base on the drug release from the liposomes was determined in a flow-through diffusion cell system using a model silastic polymer membrane as barrier. A base containing white petrolatum 46.7% (w/w), stearyl alcohol 6.7% (w/w), cholesterol 13.3 (w/w), Tween 80 16.7% (w/w) and Span 16.7% (w/w) was selected for diffusion studies, since the mixture of this base and liposome preparation, at 1:1.9 (w/w) ratios, provided a stable, dermatologically acceptable dosage form, in which the liposomes were uniformly distributed and their structures were preserved. Diffusion studies showed that the drug release rate decreases 2.5x when the liposomes are incorporated into the vaseline base; however, after a temporary decrease they seem to extend the duration of release beyond that of the original liposomal formula. These studies revealed a possibility of using white petrolatum in the topical application of liposomes.