In vitro skin permeation of cubosomes containing triclosan

Monoolein (MO) cubosomes containing triclosan (TCA) were prepared by micronizing MO cubic phases containing TCA in a bath-type sonicator. Pluronic F127 was used as a dispersant and no cubosomes could be produced from monoolein alone in the absence of the dispersant. The maximum tolerable ratio of TCA to MO for the formation of cubic phase was 16:84 (w/w). According to TEM photos and size distributions, the sizes of cubosomes were hundreds of nanometers. Using hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin as a solubilizer for TCA, the in vitro skin permeation of TCA loaded in cubosomes was investigated on a diffusion cell. Even though the concentrations of TCA were the same in the suspensions of cubosomes, the skin permeations were increased more when the ratios of TCA to MO were higher in the cubosomes. Moreover, the permeations were higher than those of TCA suspension in aqueous solution of ethanol or propylene glycol.