¹Nanotechnology Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
²Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran DOI : 10.29228/jrp.290 Propranolol hydrochloride is a non-selective beta-adrenergic blocker. Due to extensive first pass metabolism, it shows variable bioavailability. Up to now, several researches has been conducted regarding its effect on wound healing. Hence, transdermal delivery of this drug could be helpful to overcom the first pass metabolism and delivery of the drug into skin. In this study, the effect of different permeation enhancers namely Isopropyl myristate, Labrafac, Labrafil, Olive oil and Plurol oleique on skin permeability of propranolol through rat skin has been analysed through a Franz cell and by evaluating the parameters like J_ss, ER_flux, ERD and ERp. The effect of enhancers on skin structure was studied by using FT-IR and DSC techniques. Enhancement mechanisms were evaluated through comparing FT-IR peak intensities for asymmetric and symmetric C-H stretching, ester C=O stretching and Amide peaks. Mean transition temperature (Tm) as well as their enthalpies (H) studied by DSC technique. It was shown that all the permeation enhancers improved permeability of the drug through rat skin. Among them, Labrafac had more effect on flux having ER_flux value of 9.24 and plurol oleique had more effect on ERD having value of 13.99 due to the positive effects on skin lipid-protein structure while Isopropyl myristate has shown the least effect. According to the obtained results, the use of chemical permeation enhancers due to changes the structure of the skin to increase the permeability of the drug can be considered as suitable excipients in transdermal delivery of propranolol. Keywords : Propranolol; Permeation Enhancers; Transdermal Drug Delivery