Ex-vivo transdermal delivery of Annona squamosa entrapped in niosomes by electroporation

Reactive molecules derived from molecular oxygen and free radicals are commonly known as Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). These molecules produce oxidative stress in cells leading to many pathological problems like diabetes, cancer, inflammation, neurodegenerative disorders, and aging. Antioxidants can remove free radicals from the human body. Therefore, it is of remarkable interest to increase the bioavailability of antioxidant drugs by increasing transdermal delivery. Nonionic surfactant vesicles or niosomes are drug carriers used to improve the dermal/transdermal bioavailability of drug supplied to the skin. The present work investigates the efficiency of ex-vivo transdermal delivery of the antioxidant plant extract A. squamosa encapsulated into niosomes using 60 exponentially decaying electroporative pulses of field strength 100 V cm(-1) and maximum pulse duration 4 ms. Transdermal delivery was enhanced by applying electroporative pulses with the niosomes entrapping A. Squamosa. The suggested method would help in purifying the body from harmful impurities and oxidants by topical drug enhancers that can be applied directly onto the skin.