Enhanced skin delivery of triamcinolone acetonide using invasome-based formulations.

Transdermal delivery of triamcinolone acetonide was investigated using an invasome based formulation designed to enhance skin penetration and drug deposition. The formulation incorporated phospholipids, ethanol and selected terpenes to improve drug permeation across the stratum corneum. Ethanol and terpenes are expected to increase membrane fluidity and facilitate penetration into deeper skin layers. Invasomes were prepared using a mechanical dispersion approach, in which the drug and terpene were dissolved in ethanol containing phospholipids, followed by vortexing and sonication. The resulting dispersion was hydrated with phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) to obtain the final formulation. Compared with conventional liposomal systems, the developed invasome formulation showed enhanced skin penetration and drug deposition, while limiting systemic exposure. The formulation promoted drug localization within the epidermal and dermal layers, demonstrating its potential for site specific topical delivery of triamcinolone acetonide.