| Over the past four decades, liposome is a noveldrug delivery system thatattracted increasing attention. To date, no proper formulation for enhancing the effect of liposome for transdermal delivery and its stability. The most common approaches for enhancing skin permeation of various drugs are the use of penetration enhancers.Terpene one of penetration enhancers from natural product had non-irritated and non-toxic. However, in the research and development of pharmaceutical preparation, the efficacy, the safety and the stability should be concerned. Objective: The objectsof this study were to develop liposome loaded gel formulation incorporated various terpenes for transdermal delivery and to evaluate their physicochemical stability. Methods:Curcumin-liposome containing a controlled amount of phospholipid (PC), cholesterol (Chol) oleic acid (OA) and curcumin (CUR) were prepared by sonication method, and then 2%CUR-liposome and 2%terpenes was incorporated in 0.5%carbopol940 gel formulations under constant stirring with magnetic stirrer.The physicochemical properties, the skin permeability and the stability of the CUR-liposome loaded gel formulation were investigated.Results:The physical appearance of liposomeswasclear yellow; when the liposome was added into the gels, a yellow turbidity was formed. The skin permeability (Flux) of the gel-limonene (1.08g/cm2/h) was significantlyhigher than the other gel-terpenes (cymene, geroniol, -terpineol, fenchone, menthone and terpinen-4-ol) and a commercial product (control)(0.75g/cm2/h),respectively (p-value < 0.05). The physicochemical stability after the incubation period of the CUR-liposome gel formulation wasclear yellow to clear gels with odorless, the CUR-liposome loaded gel-terpene formulation were turbid yellow to turbid white or clear gels with decrease odor.Whiles, the gel-nerolidol, gel- geroniol and the commercial product (control) did not change in the physical appearance. ThepH and the spreadability were significantly decreased from 6.4-6.5 to 6.1-6.2 and decreasedfrom 0.076-0.083 to 0.065-0.074 g•cm•sec-1, respectively. The CUR-remaining of the gel-geroniolwas significantly higher than control and other formulations (p-value < 0.05).Conclusion: Development of liposome loaded gel formulationincorporated terpenes can enhance transdermal delivery of curcumin. The temperature and the period of time were factors affecting the physicochemical stability of liposome loaded gel formulation. |