TRANSFEROSOMES: AN EMERGING TOOL FOR TRANSDERMAL DRUG DELIVERY

Transdermal drug delivery is proving to be superior to the conventional oral delivery of drugs owing to its distinct virtues. But it has got its own limitations as well- inability to transport large molecules, inability to overcome the barrier properties of stratum corneum and many more. Using this route of drug delivery along with novel approaches can help to solve these problems. Formulating the drug in a transfersome is one such approach. Transferosome is an ultradeformable vesicle, elastic in nature which can squeeze itself through a pore which is many times smaller than its size owing to its elasticity. Transferosomes are made up of a phospholipids component along with a surfactant mixture. The ratios of individual surfactants and total amount of surfactants control the flexibility of the vesicle. The uniqueness of this type of drug carrier system lies in the fact that it can accommodate hydrophilic, lipophilic as well as amphiphilic drugs. These drugs find place in different places in the elastic vesicle before they get delivered beneath the skin. Controlled release formulations can also be prepared with the help of transferosomes. Better or equivalent bioavailability has been reported in case of drugs like insulin, corticosteroids, etc. with the difficulty of administration by injection no more remaining. Peripheral drug targeting, transdermal immunization can also be achieved with this type of drug delivery system.