Enhancing Transdermal Delivery: Investigating the Impact of Permeation Promoters on Ibuprofen Release and Penetration from Medical Patches—In Vitro Research

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of various enhancers on permeation through the skin and accumulation in the skin from acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive-based drug-in-adhesives matrix-type transdermal patches. Eleven patches, each containing a 5% enhancer of permeation, encompassing compounds such as salicylic acid, menthol, urea, glycolic acid, allantoin, oleic acid, Tween 80, linolenic acid, camphor, N-dodecylcaprolactam, and glycerin, were developed. Ibuprofen (IBU) was the model active substance, a widely-used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. The results were compared to patches without enhancers and commercial preparations. The study aimed to assess the effect of enhancers on IBU permeability. The adhesive properties of the patches were characterised, and active substance permeability was tested. The findings revealed that patches with 5% allantoin exhibited the highest IBU permeability, approximately 2.8 times greater than patches without enhancers after 24 h. These patches present a potential alternative to commercial preparations, highlighting the significant impact of enhancers on transdermal drug delivery efficiency.