Abstract

This research aimed to develop neomycin sulfate-loaded transferosomal vesicles designed for efficient vaginal delivery. The study employed a modified handshaking technique to enhance drug permeability through the vaginal mucosa, utilizing various surfactants at three concentrations while maintaining constant drug concentration. Neomycin sulphate transferosomes were made using a modified hand shaking method and seven different edge activators, which included Brij35, sodium deoxycholate cremophor EL, tween80, span80, and tween20, at three different concentrations of phosphotidylcholine. These formulations were then tested for surface characteristics (scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy), particle size distribution, zeta potential, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, small angle X-ray scattering, ex vivo permeation studies, and confocal scanning laser microscopy studies. The phospholipid layer’s intercalatable surfactant, span80, was used in the formulation process to produce a stable vesicular formulation. The findings showed that the transferosomes loaded with neomycin sulfate were stable, uniformly distributed, and had a particle size of 152.8 nm, a polydispersity index value of 0.368, and a zeta potential of 5.04±0.2 mV. Furthermore, the efficiency of entrapment was 89.87 %. The transferosomes high deformability-a deformability index of 31.8 was validated by the lipid extrusion test. Neomycin sulfate was successfully loaded into vesicles, as demonstrated by additional analysis using differential scanning calorimetry, X-diffract gram patterns, and small angle X-ray scattering studies. These findings suggested that the vesicles were amorphous and that unilamellar vesicles had formed. In vitro permeation investigations on sheep vaginal tissue at pH 4.4 citrate buffer indicated promising results for the improved formulation, including a flux value of 0.789 mg/h/cm², a permeability coefficient of 0.0956, a short lag time of 0.434 h, and a 12-fold enhancement ratio compared to pure medication. Confocal laser scanning microscopy investigations validated the vesicles' deformability and improved permeability. In conclusion, neomycin sulfate-loaded transferosomes showed great promise as a drug delivery technology for vaginal applications. The proposed vesicular formulation demonstrated superior properties such as stability, deformability, and increased permeability, making it a promising carrier with fewer side effects and the possibility for easy scale-up and production at lower medication doses.