Optimization and Stability Testing of a Nanostructured Lipid Carrier (NLC)-Based Emulgel System for Transdermal Delivery of Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69855/farmasi.v2i1.522Keywords:
Nanostructured lipid carriers, emulgel, transdermal delivery, diclofenac sodium, optimization, stabilityAbstract
Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLC) are second-generation lipid nanoparticles composed of solid and liquid lipids that improve drug loading, stability, and controlled release. Incorporating NLC into an emulgel enhances transdermal drug delivery by improving skin permeation and prolonging drug release. This study aimed to optimize an NLC-based emulgel using Design of Experiment (DoE) and evaluate its physicochemical properties, drug release, skin permeation, and stability. Diclofenac sodium was selected as the model drug. NLC was prepared using melt-emulsification ultrasonication and optimized with a three-factor Box–Behnken design before incorporation into Carbopol 940 gel. Characterization included particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, viscosity, spreadability, and drug release analysis. The optimized formulation showed a particle size of 187.4 ± 5.2 nm, zeta potential of −32.6 ± 1.8 mV, and entrapment efficiency of 91.3 ± 2.1%. Drug release reached 85.6% within 24 hours following the Korsmeyer-Peppas model. Skin permeation was significantly higher than conventional gel, and the formulation remained stable for six months at 25°C/60% RH.
References
Agrawal, M., Saraf, S., Saraf, S., Dubey, S. K., Puri, A., Patel, R. J., Ajazuddin, Ravichandiran, V., Murty, U. S., & Alexander, A. (2021). Recent strategies and advances in the fabrication of nanostructured lipid carriers for drug delivery. Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, 61, 102234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jddst.2020.102234
Charoo, N. A., Shamsher, A. A., Zidan, A. S., & Rahman, Z. (2020). Quality by design approach for pharmaceutical product development: A review. Journal of Pharmaceutical Innovation, 15, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12247-019-09426-7
Czajkowska-Kośnik, A., Szymańska, E., & Winnicka, K. (2022). Nanostructured lipid carriers-based gel formulations as etodolac delivery: From preparation to permeation study. Molecules, 28(1), 235. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28010235
Ferreira, S. L. C., Bruns, R. E., Ferreira, H. S., et al. (2007). Box–Behnken design: An alternative for optimization. Analytica Chimica Acta, 597(2), 179–186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aca.2007.07.011
Fitriani, E. W., Avanti, C., Rosana, Y., & Surini, S. (2024). Nanostructured lipid carriers as prospective dermal drug delivery systems. Pharmacia, 71, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.3897/pharmacia.71.e115849
Iqbal, B., Ali, J., & Baboota, S. (2020). Recent advances in nanostructured lipid carriers for topical drug delivery. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 589, 119817. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2020.119817
Joshi, M., & Müller, R. H. (2020). Lipid nanoparticles for topical drug delivery: Advances and challenges. European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 154, 273–290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpb.2020.07.019
Latifah, L., Isadiartuti, D., Yuwono, M., Rahman, F., & Hendradi, E. (2023). Physical properties and permeation of diclofenac sodium patch using nanostructured lipid carriers. Tropical Journal of Natural Product Research, 7(12). https://doi.org/10.26538/tjnpr/v7i12.24
Patel, D., Dasgupta, S., Dey, S., Ramani, Y. R., Ray, S., & Mazumder, B. (2021). Nanostructured lipid carriers: A promising drug delivery system for topical applications. Journal of Controlled Release, 329, 598–613. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2020.10.031
Raval, S., Jani, P., Patil, P., Thakkar, P., & Sawant, K. (2021). Enhancement of bioavailability through transdermal delivery using nanostructured lipid carriers. Therapeutic Delivery, 12(8), 583–596. https://doi.org/10.4155/tde-2021-0036
Singh, A. P., Puri, D., Chauhan, I., et al. (2025). Diclofenac sodium-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers: Characterization and in vivo evaluation. Assay and Drug Development Technologies. https://doi.org/10.1089/adt.2025.004
Souto, E. B., Doktorovova, S., & Silva, A. M. (2022). Nanostructured lipid carriers: A comprehensive review of formulation and applications. Pharmaceutics, 14(1), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14010001
Tripathi, G., Avhad, P. S., Yadav, N., et al. (2025). Formulation and evaluation of nanostructured lipid carrier-based transdermal patch of diclofenac sodium. Vascular and Endovascular Review, 8(9s), 224–229.
Wang, L., et al. (2022). Lipid nanocapsules enhance transdermal delivery of drugs including diclofenac. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 628, 122264. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2022.122264
ICH Q1A(R2). (2003). Stability Testing of New Drug Substances and Products. International Council for Harmonisation, Geneva.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Muhammad Nurul Fadel, Emma Jayanti Besan, Dzukharian Munandar, Zola Efa Harnis, Indri Dwi Rahasasti
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
