Santosh Bhujbal: Formulation and characterization of transfersomes for ocular drug delivery

<p dir="ltr">Background: Delivering hydrophobic drugs across ocular tissues is challenging due to the complex structure of the eye. Transfersomes (TFS) have shown potential for enhancing ocular drug delivery.Objective: This study investigated TFS's ability to enhance ocular penetration of tonabersat, a hydrophobic inflammasome inhibitor.Methods: TFS were prepared using Phospholipon 90G, Tween 80, and tonabersat via the thin-film hydration technique. Vesicle size, morphology, and tonabersat content were assessed, while conjunctival and corneal tolerability were tested using HET-CAM and BCOP assays. Ocular penetration was evaluated using an ex vivo porcine eye model.Results: TFS were 125.50±0.66 nm in size with 81.57±8.34% entrapment efficiency and exhibited no conjunctival or corneal irritation. TFS significantly improved tonabersat penetration (p < 0.05) across ocular tissues compared to MCT formulations. Conclusion: TFS enhances the ocular bioavailability and therapeutic potential of poorly soluble tonabersat.</p>