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SLN as a topical delivery system for Artemisia arborescens essential oil: In vitro antiviral activity and skin permeation study

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Authors: Francesco Lai, Chiara Sinico, Alessandro De Logu, Marco Zaru, Rainer H Müller, Anna M Fadda

Published Date October 2007 Volume 2007:2(3) Pages 419 - 425
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/IJN.S

Francesco Lai1, Chiara Sinico1, Alessandro De Logu2, Marco Zaru1, Rainer H Müller3, Anna M Fadda1

1Dipartimento Farmaco Chimico Tecnologico, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; 2Sezione di Microbiologia Medica, Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biomediche, Università di Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy; 3Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Biotechnology and Quality Management, The Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany

Abstract: The effect of SLN incorporation on transdermal delivery and in vitro antiherpetic activity of Artemisia arborescens essential oil was investigated. Two different SLN formulations were prepared using the hot – pressure homogenization technique, Compritol 888 ATO as lipid, and Poloxamer 188 and Miranol Ultra C32 as surfactants. Formulations were examined for their stability for two years by monitoring average size distribution and zeta potential values. The antiviral activity of free and SLN incorporated essential oil was tested in vitro against Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV-1) by a quantitative tetrazolium-based colorimetric method (MTT), while the effects of essential oil incorporation into SLN on both the permeation through and the accumulation into the skin strata was investigated by using in vitro diffusion experiments through newborn pig skin and an almond oil Artemisia essential oil solution as a control. Results showed that both SLN formulations were able to entrap the essential oil in high yields and that the mean particle size increased only slightly after two years of storage, indicating a high physical stability. In vitro antiviral assays showed that SLN incorporation did not affect the essential oil antiherpetic activity. The in vitro skin permeation experiments demonstrated the capability of SLN of greatly improving the oil accumulation into the skin, while oil permeation occurred only when the oil was delivered from the control solution.

Keywords: SLN, solid lipid nanoparticles, HSV-1 virus, antiviral agent, Artemisia arborescens essential oil