Penetration enhancer-containing vesicles for cutaneous drug delivery

The function of vesicles as topical delivery systems is controversial with variable effects being reported in relation to the type of vesicles and their composition. A wide variety of lipids and surfactants can be used to prepare vesicles, and vesicle composition and preparation method influence their physicochemical properties (size, charge, lamellarity, thermodynamic state, deformability) and, therefore, their efficacy as drug delivery systems. In this chapter, composition, preparation, and results obtained by using penetration enhancer-containing vesicles, liposomes prepared by associating different penetration enhancers to phospholipids, are described. These systems have shown to improve cutaneous drug delivery, thanks to a combination of properties of vesicle carriers and penetration enhancers.