Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Narges Shokri ¹, Mohammad Taghi Goodarzi ², Hamid Akbari Javar ³, Yasaman Soltani ⁴

Affiliations
1 Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box. 65178-3-8678, Hamadan, IR
2 Research Center for Molecular Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box. 65178-3-8678, Hamadan, IR
3 Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box. 14155- 6451, Tehran, IR
4 Faculty of Pharmacy, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box. 65178-3-8678, Hamadan, IR

Abstract

Objectives: Scientists have widely investigated the use of chemical enhancers to improve drug transport through the skin. In this study, ZnO and ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) has been used as dermal absorption enhancers for Ibuprofen (IP).

Methods: Seven different formulations containing IP, ZnO, or ZnO-NPs were prepared. Dermal absorption experiments were performed at 32°C using a diffusion cell containing phosphate buffer saline (pH 7.4) and a slice of chicken skin. Cumulative amounts of skin permeated IP, ZnO or ZnO-NPs were plotted over time.

Results: After 60 minutes, 90, 8 and 81 mg ZnO, ZnO-NPs and IP were passed through the skin, respectively. This amount for IP was 105, 114, 131 and 183 mg in presence of 100 mg ZnO, 100 mg ZnONPs, 200 mg ZnO-NPs, and 500 mg ZnO-NPs, respectively.

Maximum amount of not-permeated IP was seen for formulation 1 (IP without enhancer) and minimum notpermeated IP was seen for formulation 5 (IP with 500 mg ZnO-NPs as enhancer).

Conclusion: ZnO and more strongly ZnO-NPs could act as enhancers for transdermal delivery of IP. Such effect was improved by increase in concentration of ZnO-NPs. Therefore, ZnO-NPs can be used as enhancer in dermal drug delivery formulations.

Keywords

Zinc Oxide, Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles, Ibuprofen, Enhancer, Skin Permeation.

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