TRANSDERMAL DELIVERY OF DRUGS USING TRANSFEROSOMES: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

Transdermal delivery systems have gained popularity as a non-invasive method of drug administration that offers severaladvantages over other routes of drug delivery. They are noninvasive and self-administered delivery system whichimproves patient compliance and provide a controlled release of the drug. The greatest challenge of transdermal deliverysystems is that in which the outermost layer of skin acts as a barrier function for transfer of therapeutic agent into thebody. Molecules with high molecular weights do not pass through the skin. Therefore, only a limited number of drugsare administered by this route. So encapsulating the drugs in transfersomes is one of the best approaches to overcome thisproblem. Transferosomes are lipid based vesicular drug delivery systems which have a unique composition that allowsthem to overcome the limitation of conventional drug delivery system. They are composed of phospholipids andsurfactants, which provide them with the ability to encapsulate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. They penetratethrough stratum corneum by either intracellular route or the transcellular route by the generation of natural osmoticgradient. Compared to conventional drug delivery systems, transferosomes offer several advantages like avoidance of firstpass metabolism, increasing bioavailability of drugs. Due to its high deformability it enhances the penetration of intactvesicles. Transferosomes vary from other conventional vesicles due to their softer, better adjustable and ultra deformableartificial membranes. This review summarizes the concept of transfersomes, including their structure, formationmechanism of action, different methods of preparation, advantages, limitations along with applications.