FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF DICLOFENAC NIOSOMAL DRUG DELIEVERY SYSTEMS

In order to establish and maintain drugs from any concentrations at target sites for a longer period of time, niosomes was formulated. The main aim of this study was to formulate niosomal suspension containing diclofenac sodium multilamellar vesicle (MLVs). Diclofenac is a drug with narrow therapeutic index and short biological half-life. This study was aimed at developing and optimizing niosomal formulation of diclofenac in order to improve its bioavailability. In evaluation study the effect of the varying composition of non ionic surfactant and cholesterol on the properties such as encapsulation efficiency, particle size and drug release were studied. Moreover, the release of the drug was also modified and extended over a period of 72 h in all formulations. Different ratios of cholesterol and surfactant (span 20, span 40 and span 60) were used. The optimized ratio was 1:2:1 with highest entrapment efficiency. The in-vitro release of the drug was consistent. The time course of drugs and their effects in the body are assessed through pharmacokinetics which was provided by mathematical basis. The data collected from the release were incorporated into release kinetic analyses which are Higuchi equation and Korsmeyer‐Peppas equations. Further, release of the drug from the most satisfactory formulation NF-6 was evaluated through dialysis membrane to get the idea of drug release. The mechanism of dug release was governed by Peppas model