Formulation, Development and Evaluation of Transfersomal Gel of Metronidazole

Metronidazole is an antibiotic that is used to treat a wide variety of infections. It works by stopping the growth of certain bacteria and parasites. This antibiotic treats only certain bacterial and parasitic infections. It may also be used with other medications to treat certain stomach/intestinal ulcers caused by bacteria (H. pylori). A transferosome is the first generation of an elastic liposome prepared from phospholipids and edge activators. An edge activator is often a single-chain surfactant with a high radius of curvature that destabilizes the lipid bilayers of vesicles and increases the deformability of the bilayers, thereby making the vehicle ultra-deformable. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential of transfersomal gel formulations for transdermal delivery of metronidazole and to evaluate the effect of lipid concentration, ethanol concentration, drug concentration and stirrer time. Characterization of transfersomes performed by vesicle size, surface charge, entrapment efficiency and zeta potential. Characterization of transfersome containing gel performed by the measurement of viscosity, drug content, extrudability study, spreadability and in vitro drug diffusion study. It was found that viscosity of prepared gel was 3560cps, % assay was 98.89±0.45, extrudability was 1156g and spreadibility (g.cm/sec) was found that 11.23(g.cm/sec) respectively.  In vitro drug release from transfersomes gel was carried out using Franz diffusion cell method and found 85.56% in 12 hr. In first 30 min it was 22.2 % drug release which slightly high. It was due to the release of free drug present in bag after leaching from transfersomes. Drug release from transferosomal gel formulation was found in very sustained and controlled manner. The results were obtained which showed that transfersomal gel was a promising candidate for transdermal delivery with targeted and prolonged release of a drug. It also enhances skin permeation of many drugs. Keywords: Transfersomal gel, Metronidazole, Antibiotic, Characterization, Franz diffusion cel