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The artemisinin derivative artemisone has antitumor activity. In particular when encapsulated in solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) and niosomes, it is active against human melanoma A-375 cells, although such formulations have a negligible effect on human keratinocyte cells. The aim here was to determine whether these formulations could enhance the topical delivery and skin permeation of artemisone as a prelude to evaluating use of artemisone and related compounds for melanoma treatment. In vitro skin permeation studies were conducted to determine the concentration of artemisone delivered into the stratum corneum-epidermis and epidermis-dermis. Artemisone-SLNs delivered artemisone into the stratum corneum-epidermis at significantly higher concentration (62.632 mg/mL) than the artemisoneniosomes (12.792 mg/mL). Neither of the controls delivered artemisone into the stratum corneumepidermis. In the epidermis-dermis, artemisone (13.404 mg/mL) was only detected after application of the SLN formulation. Overall, the excellent topical delivery of artemisone with the SLN formulation coupled with the intrinsic activity of formulated artemisone confirms potential for use in treatment of melanoma

Objectives: Sinigrin is a major glucosinolate present in plants of the Brassicaceae family. Recently sinigrin and its phytosome formulations have been investigated for its wound healing actions, by our research group. The aim of this study was to demonstrate sinigrin drug release from its phytosome complex and also to determine if the phytosome complex enhances the delivery of sinigrin into the skin when compared to free sinigrin. Methods: In vitro Franz cell diffusion studies were performed on human abdominal skin. The morphology of the phytosome complex was examined by transmission electron microscopy. The in vitro drug release was determined by using dialysis sacks. Key findings: The in vitro drug release indicated a controlled and sustained release of sinigrin from the phytosome complex. Tape stripping results showed that the sinigrin-phytosome complex (0.5155 µg/ml) statistically significantly enhanced the delivery of sinigrin into the stratum corneum-epidermis when compared to the free sinigrin (0.0730 µg/ml). Conclusions: These results suggested the possibility of utilizing sinigrin-phytosome complex, to optimally deliver sinigrin to the skin which can be further used for various skin related diseases including wound healing

In recent years, colloidal delivery systems based on nano-emulsion are gaining popularity; being used for encapsulation and delivery of many drugs. Nano-emulsions are thermokinetically stable dispersion systems, which have been used in topical and transdermal delivery of a number of pharmaceutically active compounds. Nano-emulsions have a narrow droplet size range with tuneable surface properties, which make them an ideal delivery vehicle. Nano-emulsions have a number of advantages over conventional emulsions, including easy preparation using various low and high energy methods, optical transparency, high solubilisation capacity, high stability to droplet aggregation and the ability to penetrate the skin; thus allowing the transdermal delivery of drugs. This review therefore aims at summarising various methods of nano-emulsion formulation and their use as a topical and transdermal delivery vehicle for a number of active pharmaceutical ingredients from different pharmacological classes