REVIEW ON EMERGING ROLE OF INVASOMES IN TOPICAL AND TRANSDERMAL DRUG DELIVERY
Prashant Chaurasia, Satkar Prasad
ABSTRACT
Transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS) have emerged as an effective alternative to conventional drug administration by overcoming first-pass metabolism, improving patient compliance, and providing controlled drug release. However, the barrier properties of the stratum corneum significantly restrict the permeation of many therapeutic agents. To address this limitation, novel vesicular carriers such as invasomes have gained considerable attention due to their superior skin penetration and enhanced drug delivery capabilities. Invasomes are elastic phospholipid vesicles composed of phospholipids, ethanol, and terpenes, which act synergistically to disrupt the stratum corneum and facilitate transdermal transport of both hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs. This review summarizes the composition, structure, mechanism of skin permeation, methods of preparation, physicochemical characterization, and evaluation parameters of invasomes. It also discusses the influence of formulation components, including ethanol and terpenes, on vesicle properties and drug permeation. Furthermore, the review highlights the pharmaceutical applications of invasomes in the delivery of antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antihypertensive, anticancer, immunosuppressive, and anti-acne agents. Recent advances demonstrate that invasomes improve drug bioavailability, enhance skin permeation, prolong drug release, and reduce systemic adverse effects. Owing to their versatility, biocompatibility, and efficient transdermal delivery, invasomes represent a promising nanocarrier platform for both topical and systemic drug administration. Future research should focus on large-scale manufacturing, long-term stability, regulatory considerations, and clinical translation to facilitate the commercialization of invasome-based drug delivery systems.
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