5-Fluorouracil ethosomes – skin deposition and melanoma permeation synergism with microwave

Figures & data

Figure 1. Profiles of (a) drug release from ethosomes, (b) drug permeation and (c) drug retention of ethosomes using ▲untreated skin and • skin pre-treated by microwave at 2450 MHz for 2.5 min with (d) scanning electron microscopic image, (e) transmission electron microscopic image and (f) vesicular size distribution of ethosomes. Fractional data were obtained from www.tandfonline.com [34].

Figure 2. In vivo profiles of a. drug permeation, b. drug retention and c. 5-FU pharmacokinetics parameters of ethosomes via ▲ untreated skin and • skin pre-treated by microwave at 2450 MHz for 2.5 min. λ_z = terminal elimination rate constant, t_1/2 = drug half-life, C_max = peak plasma drug concentration, T_max = time to reach peak plasma drug concentration, AUC_0–24 = area under the plasma drug concentration-time plot from 0 to 24 h, AUC_0–∞ = area under the plasma drug concentration-time plot from time 0 to infinity.

Figure 3. Cytotoxicity profiles of SKMEL-28 melanoma cells as a function of drug, ethosomes and pre-treatment of cells with microwave at 2450 MHz for 2.5 min.

Figure 4. Confocal laser micrographs of melanoma cells treated with (a) F-ethosomes, (b) microwave 2450 MHz for 2.5 min + F-ethosomes, and their (c, d) and (e) corrected total cell fluorescence intensities. i = without and with inhibitors applied where ii = chlorpromazine, iii = nystatin, iv = genistein and v = wortmannin.

Figure 5. (a) DSC thermogram (T= °C, ΔH = J/g) and (b) ATR-FTIR spectra of freeze dried i. untreated melanoma cells and cells treated with ii. ethosomes, iii. microwave 2450 MHz for 2.5 min and iv. microwave 2450 MHz for 2.5 min + ethosomes.

Khan NR, Wong TW. Microwave-aided skin drug penetration and retention of 5-fluorouracil-loaded ethosomes. Expert Opin Drug Deliv. 2016;13:1209–1219.

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