ABSTRACT:
The purpose of this research was to prepare acyclovir (AC) niosomes in a trial to improve its poor and variable oral bioavailability. According to the Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BSC) acyclovir was categorized as a class III drug due to its high solubility and low permeability. Hollow and acyclovir-loaded niosomes were formulated by using reverse phase evaporation technique and evaluated for their morphological characteristics, entrapment efficiency as well as in-vitro drug release profile by using membrane of Kukkutandatwak (Shell of Hen’s Egg) .The non ionic surfactant vesicles were prepared with the lipid mixture consisted of cholesterol and tween 80, in the molar ratio of 7:4, 7:6, and 7:7 respectively. The percentage entrapment efficiency was found to be 14.6%, 17.79%, 27.50% of AC used in the preparation. Most of the niosomes was found to be unilamellar spherical in shape. In-vitro drug release profile data revealed that higher concentration of cholesterol is responsible for higher drug entrapment efficiency but same time prolonged the drug release from the niosomes due to stabilization of the niosomes. Thus niosomal formulation could be a promising drug delivery system for acyclovir with improved bioavailability.