Abstract

INNOVATIVE VESICULAR CARRIERS IN TRANSDERMAL DRUG DELIVERY: A REVIEW ON PRONIOSOMES

Yankanagouda Basanagouda, Pratiksha Akki*, Reshma Vibhuti, Fatima S. Dasankoppa, Revati Dharampal Sagare and M. Mahesh

ABSTRACT

Transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS) have emerged as an effective route for administering medications, offering advantages such as bypassing first-pass hepatic metabolism and improving patient compliance. Despite these benefits, the stratum corneum presents a formidable barrier, significantly limiting drug permeation. To overcome this, vesicular drug delivery systems namely liposomes, niosomes, and proniosomes have been extensively investigated. Among these, proniosomes, a dry, surfactant-coated carrier system that forms niosomes upon hydration, have shown notable promise due to their enhanced stability, improved drug entrapment efficiency, and potential to increase the bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs. This review provides a comprehensive overview of skin structure, the interaction of vesicles with skin, and the design considerations for proniosomal formulations. It also highlights the classification, advantages, and limitations of proniosomes, with a particular focus on their application in the topical delivery of anti-inflammatory agents. Furthermore, it compares various vesicle-based delivery systems, emphasizing the growing relevance of proniosomes in modern pharmaceutical technology.

Keywords: Transdermal Drug Delivery, Proniosomes, Vesicular Drug Delivery Systems, Skin Permeation, Anti-inflammatory Drug Delivery, Non-ionic Surfactants, Stratum Corneum, Bioavailability, Topical Drug Delivery.