Vesicular system: Versatile carrier for transdermal delivery of bioactives

Abstract

The transdermal route of drug delivery has gained immense interest for pharmaceutical researchers. The major hurdle for diff usion of drugs and bioactives through transdermal route is the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the skin. Currently, various approaches such as physical approach, chemical approach, and delivery carriers have been used to augment the transdermal delivery of bioactives. This review provides a brief overview of mechanism of drug transport across skin, diff erent lipid vesicular systems, with special emphasis on lipid vesicular systems including transfersomes, liposomes, niosomes, ethosomes, virosomes, and pharmacosomes and their application for the delivery of diff erent bioactives.