Electroporation-enhanced entrapment of diclofenac sodium and ascorbic acid into DPPC liposomes

The effect of electroporation on the physical characteristics of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-Sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) liposome loading diclofenac sodium, ascorbic acid and Rhodamine B was studied. Group one liposomes were incubated with diclofenac sodium, group two liposomes were incubated with ascorbic acid and group three: liposomes were incubated with Rhodamine B. The three groups were subjected to electroporation protocol. Samples were exposed to different field strengths at pulses 30, 60 and 90 pulses respectively with pulse duration 4 milliseconds. After electroporation, liposomes were separated from unentrapped drugs and form the dye through centrifugation. Physical characteristics of liposomes were examined using Transmission electron microscope (TEM), Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and particle size analysis. Liposomes are entrapping ascorbic acid with high efficiency at the values of 900 V/0.2 cm with 60 pulses, 800 and 1000 V/0.2 cm at 90 pulses. Diclofenac sodium was entrapped at 800 V/0.2 cm and 90 pulses. Rhodamine B was entrapped at 500 and 1000 V/0.2 cm at 30 pulses. Based on the present results, entrapping of diclofenac sodium and ascorbic acid into liposomes can be controlled efficiently by electroporation technique. Optimum entrapping occurred at 800 V/0.2 cm and 90 pulses for ascorbic acid and DS at 900 V/0.2 cm and 30 pulses for Rh-B.