Flexosomes for transdermal delivery of meloxicam: characterization and antiinflammatory activity

Figures & data

Table 1. Composition of the different types of FLs containing MLX.

Ingredients (w/v)	CL	FL	FL1	FL2	FL3	FL4
Lipoid S100	10	10	10	10	10	10
Cholesterol	5	−	−	−	−	−
Tween 80	−	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5	1.5
Ethanol	−	−	10	20	30	40
MLX	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05	0.05

CL: conventional liposomes; FL: flexible liposomes containing Tween 80; FL1–FL4: flexible liposomes with different concentrations of ethanol; MLX: meloxicam.

Table 2. Physical characteristics of the different types of FLs containing MLX.

Codes	Particle size (nm)	PDI	Zeta potential (mv)
CL	155.2 ± 5.2	0.329 ± 0.0056	5.11 ± 0.64
FL	129.3 ± 4.4	0.281 ± 0.003	−3.02 ± 0.12
FL1	95.7 ± 2.9	0.214 ± 0.005	−17.04 ± 0.71
FL2	66.2 ± 2.2	0.121 ± 0.008	−20.09 ± 2.02
FL3	62.1 ± 3.3	0.153 ± 0.004	−14.23 ± 0.35
FL4	143.4 ± 1.9	0.228 ± 0.005	−15.83 ± 1.91

Figure 1. The entrapment efficiency of MLX-loaded different types of liposomes.

Figure 2. Cumulative permeation of MLX via the rat abdominal skin versus time profile of MLX loaded different types of liposomes.

Figure 3. The amount of MLX delivered into the SC, stripped skin, and the receptor fluid after 6 hours of incubation with rat skin after applying a different type of liposomes.

Table 3. Percutaneous permeability parameters of MLX FLs through rat skin.

Formulations	Enhancement Ratio (ER)	Flux (μg cm^−2 h^−1)	Permeability coefficient (cm h^−1) × 10^−5
Control	−	0.028 ± 0.003	3.122 ± 0.332
CL	3.199 ± 0.160	0.108 ± 0.003	8.827 ± 0.257
FL	7.278 ± 0.998	0.322 ± 0.0144	29.180 ± 1.438
FL1	14.772 ± 1.743	0.671 ± 0.084	64.282 ± 1.077
FL2	20.578 ± 2.662	1.012 ± 0.146	87.001 ± 5.256
FL3	24.962 ± 3.282	1.309 ± 0.146	110.622 ± 12.162
FL4	31.489 ± 1.853	1.545 ± 0.119	143.296 ± 3.350

Table 4. Results of skin deposition of MLX in the different layers of rat skin after 6 hours of occlusive incubation.

	MLX delivered (μg/cm^2)
h	SC	Stripped skin	Receptor
Control	4.7 ± 0.1	1.6 ± 0.2	ND
CL	5.6 ± 0.3	3.5 ± 0.2	2.5 ± 0.1
FL	6.9 ± 0.6	4.3 ± 0.1	3.8 ± 0.4
FL1	13.5 ± 1.2	9.2 ± 2.1	7.3 ± 0.9
FL2	17.8 ± 2.5	12.4 ± 1.7	9.0 ± 2.4
FL3	23.1 ± 3.2	15.6 ± 2.4	12.3 ± 1.6
FL4	34.9 ± 3.7	19.2 ± 1.3	15.5 ± 1.9

Figure 4. % Inhibition in edema produced by optimized MLX loaded FLs gel formulation (FL4), and oral administration in carrageenan-induced rat paw.