ETHOSOMES: A NOVEL VESICULAR DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM

Optimization of drug delivery through human skin is important in modern therapy. Recently, the transdermal route vied with oral treatment as the most successful innovative research area in drug delivery. Improved method of drug delivery for biopharmaceuticals is important for two reasons; these drugs represent rapidly growing portion of new therapeutics, and are most often given by injection. Discovery of new medicinal agents and related innovation in drug delivery system have not been only enabled the successful implementation of novel pharmaceutical, but also permitted the development of new medical treatment with existing drugs. Ethosomes are modified lipid carriers that enable drugs to reach into deeper skin layers and/or the systemic circulation. These are soft, malleable vesicles tailored for enhanced systemic delivery of drugs. Ethosomes represent a lipid vesicular carrier system embodying ethanol in relatively high concentration and are very efficient in delivering drugs into and across the skin. Unlike classic liposomes, that are known to mainly deliver drugs to outer layers of skin, ethosomes penetrate through the stratum corneum and deliver drugs to the deeper layers of skin