Abstract

FORMULATION AND IN VITRO EVALUATION OF ETHOSOMAL TRANSDERMAL PATCH OF IRBESARTAN

Dr. Shahid Mohammed*, Nazia Mahveen Khan*, Md Aamir Hussain, Abdul Muhtasib Khan

ABSTRACT

The present study was aimed at the formulation and in vitro evaluation of ethosomal transdermal patches of Irbesartan, an angiotensin II receptor antagonist widely used in the management of hypertension. Irbesartan suffers from low oral bioavailability (~60–70%) due to extensive first-pass metabolism, making transdermal delivery a promising alternative to improve therapeutic efficacy. Ethosomes, phospholipid-based elastic nanocarriers containing high ethanol content, were employed to enhance drug permeation through the skin. Ethosomal suspensions of Irbesartan were prepared by the cold method and characterized for vesicle size, entrapment efficiency, and zeta potential. Optimized ethosomal formulation was incorporated into a hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and sodium alginate based transdermal patches using the solvent evaporation technique. The prepared patches were evaluated for physicochemical parameters such as thickness, weight uniformity, folding endurance, moisture absorption, and drug content. In vitro drug release studies using Franz diffusion cells apparatus. The optimized ethosomal patch exhibited controlled release of Irbesartan over 12 hours with improved permeation and flux values. Stability studies revealed satisfactory physical integrity and drug retention. The findings suggest that ethosomal-based transdermal delivery of Irbesartan offers a novel and effective strategy for improving bioavailability, reducing dosing frequency, and enhancing patient compliance in hypertension management.

Keywords: Ethosomes, Irbesartan, Polymers, Solvent evaporation method, Transdermal patch.