Carbopol gel containing chitosan-egg albumin nanoparticles for transdermal aceclofenac delivery

In the present work, various aceclofenac-loaded chitosan-egg albumin nanoparticles were prepared through heat coagulation method. These aceclofenac-loaded nanoparticles were characterized by FE-SEM, FTIR, DSC and P-XRD analyses. The in vitro drug release from nanoparticles showed sustained drug release over 8 h. Aceclofenac-loaded nanoparticles (prepared using 200 mg chitosan, 500 mg egg albumin and 2% (w/v) NaTPP) showed highest drug entrapment (96.32 +/- 1.52%), 352.90 nm average particle diameter and -22.10 mV zeta potential, which was used for further preparation of Carbopol 940 gel for transdermal application. The prepared gel exhibited sustained ex vivo permeation of aceclofenac over 8 h through excised mouse skin. The in vivo anti-inflammatory activity in carrageenean-induced rats demonstrated comparative higher inhibition of swelling of rat paw edema by the prepared gel compared with that of the marketed aceclofenac gel over 4 h. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.