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@article{190610,
        author = {Anamika Sharma},
        title = {Design, Optimization, and Evaluation of an Ethosomal Gel System for Topical Delivery of Acyclovir},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {8},
        pages = {6884-6885},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=190610},
        abstract = {The objective of the present investigation was to design and evaluate an ethosomal gel-based delivery system of acyclovir (ACV) intended for the topical management of herpes zoster infections. Conventional topical and oral acyclovir formulations are associated with limited skin permeation and low bioavailability, resulting in suboptimal therapeutic outcomes. Ethosomes, which are phospholipid vesicular carriers enriched with a high concentration of ethanol, have demonstrated significant potential in enhancing dermal and transdermal drug delivery.
In this study, acyclovir-loaded ethosomes were prepared using the cold method with varying concentrations of phospholipid and ethanol. The prepared vesicles were characterized for vesicle size, morphology, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, and in-vitro drug release. Among the developed formulations, AEF5 showed optimal vesicle size and the highest drug entrapment efficiency. The optimized ethosomal dispersion was further incorporated into carbopol-based gels at different polymer concentrations (0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% w/w). The resultant ethosomal gels were evaluated for physicochemical properties, spreadability, viscosity, drug content, in-vitro release behavior, and stability.
FT-IR studies confirmed the compatibility of acyclovir with formulation excipients. The formulation containing 1% w/w carbopol (AEG2) exhibited superior gel characteristics and sustained drug release, achieving 82.23% cumulative drug release over 8 hours, following zero-order kinetics. The findings suggest that the developed ethosomal gel represents a promising and patient-friendly topical delivery system for acyclovir.},
        keywords = {Acyclovir, Ethosomes, Topical gel, Vesicular drug delivery, Herpes zoster, Controlled release},
        month = {January},
        }