FORMULATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF INVASOMAL GEL OF KETOPROFEN FOR EFFECTIVE TREATMENT OF TOPICAL INFLAMMATION

The present study aimed to formulate and characterize a Ketoprofen-loaded invasomal gel for effective topical treatment of inflammation. Invasomes were prepared using phospholipids, ethanol, and penetration enhancers to overcome the barrier properties of the stratum corneum and enhance skin permeation. The prepared invasomal formulations (IN1–IN6) were evaluated for entrapment efficiency and vesicle size, and the optimized formulation IN2 exhibited the highest entrapment efficiency (82.25 ± 0.36%) with a minimum vesicle size (204.36 nm). The optimized invasomes were incorporated into a gel base to improve patient compliance and prolong residence time at the site of application. The invasomal gel formulations (IG-1 to IG-3) were evaluated for viscosity, pH, drug content, extrudability, and spreadability, and formulation IG-2 showed optimal physicochemical properties with maximum drug content (99.12 ± 0.54%) and skin-compatible pH. In vitro drug release studies demonstrated a sustained release of Ketoprofen up to 12 hours from the invasomal gel compared to rapid release from the pure drug. Release kinetics revealed that the formulation followed the Korsmeyer–Peppas model, indicating a diffusion-controlled release mechanism. Stability studies confirmed that the optimized invasomal gel remained stable for up to 6 months, particularly under refrigerated conditions. The study concludes that the Ketoprofen invasomal gel is a promising topical drug delivery system capable of enhancing skin penetration, providing sustained drug release, and improving therapeutic efficacy in the management of topical inflammation. Keywords: Ketoprofen, Invasomes, Topical drug delivery, Invasomal gel, Entrapment efficiency, Sustained release, Skin permeation.