Abstract:
The aim of the present investigation was to formulate and evaluate topical calcineurin
inhibitor loaded transfersomal drug delivery for vitiligo using rota evaporator
followed by thin film method. Tacrolimus can restore the melanocytes if given in
transfersomal gel. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) had employed to
study drug-excipients incompatibility. Analytical method was performed using UV
spectrophotometer. Topical calcineurin inhibitor loaded transfersomal gel was
evaluated for particle size, zeta potential, percent drug entrapment, surface
morphology, in-vitro drug release study, in vitro permeability study and stability
study. Optimization of process parameter was done by 32 full factorial Design Expert
software. FTIR study shows that neither drug decomposition nor drug-excipients and
excipient-excipient interactions occurred in the formulation. Regression co-efficient
for the drug in acetonitrile were found to be 0.997 of each and the linearity range of
tacrolimus in acetonitrile was found to be 6-18 μg/ml. Topical calcineurin inhibitor
was successfully prepared with drug:lipid(1:10), lipid:surfactant(9:1), water as
hydration medium, chloroform:methanol(9:1) as solvent, HPMCK100 as
mucoadhesive agent and extract of catechu powder to provide colour on skin.
Optimization study of process parameter shows that batch prepared with hydration
time 55 min,evaporation time 15 min, hydration temperature is 50°C and temperature
to form thin film is 60°C as optimum condition for rota evaporator. Particle size, zeta potential, percent drug entrapment were found to be 155.5 nm, -49 mV, 80%
respectively for optimized batch.
