FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF ELASTIC NIOSOMES OF ELETRIPTAN HYDROBROMIDE

Migraine is an episodic headache disorder characterized by a combination of neurological, gastrointestinal, and autonomic symptoms. Eletriptan hydrobromide (EHBr) is a second generation triptan drug intended for treatment of migraine headaches. The main aim of the study was to prepare and evaluate elastic niosomes of EHBr (ENEH) and optimise the concentration of non-ionic surfactants and ethanol by ethanol injection method. The ENEH formulations were characterised for vesicular shape, size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency and percutaneous permeation. The formulations exhibited entrapment efficiencies of 19.21±0.124% to 58.20±0.147%. The optimised formulation was FE2 consisting of Span 80 and Tween 20 prepared by ethanol injection method exhibited vesicle size of 207.2±53.7 nm, zeta potential of 19.5 mV entrapment efficiency of 69.70%, flux of 53.903±0.13 μg/cm2/hr, Q8 of 448.262±0.18 µg/cm2, permeability coefficient of 0.013 cm/hr and lag time of 0.2±0.14 hrs and skin content of 1423±12.4 μg/gm. In vitro and ex vivo drug permeation across rat skin revealed improved drug permeation and higher transdermal flux with ENEH formulations compared to niosomes and drug solution. Results suggested that elastic niosomes are efficient carriers for the transdermal delivery of EHBr when compared to the conventional nanovesicles like niosomes