Investigation of nanostructured lipid carriers for transdermal delivery of flurbiprofen

The aim of this study was to develop nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) for transdermal delivery of Flurbiprofen (FP). The physical stability of FP-NLC and its in vitro permeation profile were investigated. After three months of storage at 4°C, 20°C, and 40°C, no significant differences between the evaluated parameters, such as pH value, the entrapment efficiency, particle size, and zeta potential were observed. In in vitro permeation studies, the cumulative permeated amounts and the release rate from FP-NLC were 412.53 ± 21.37 μg/cm² and 35.25 μg/cm²/h after 12 h (n = 6), respectively, while from saturated FP-PBS (pH = 7.4) were 90.83 ± 8.67 μg/cm² and 6.99 μg/cm²/h, respectively. These results indicated that the FP-NLC were with good physical stability and were able to improve the permeated amounts and the release rate of FP. It could potentially be exploited as a carrier with improved drug entrapment efficiency and permeated amount in the transdermal delivery of FP.