Study of Effect of Formulation Variables on Bifonazole Niosomes by Applying Plackett Burman Design

Vesicular systems are a novel drug delivery that can enhance bioavailability of encapsulated drug and provide therapeutic activity for a prolonged period of time in a controlled manner. Many factors affect niosomes formation such as millimole of surfactant and cholesterol, surfactant:cholesterol ratio, time of hydration, pH of hydration medium, tempertaure during hydration process and speed of rotation of round bottom flask. Bifonazole was selected as a model drug. It has a short half life of 1-2 hr and low permeability (BCS Class IV) which was good candidate for formation of niosomes to enhance the permeation and to prolong the action of drug. The aim of the study was to optimize the various parameters affectingniosomes formation. The statistical approach was used to optimize the parameters. The Plackett–Burman design described in this study was applied for the isolation of the significant factors to concentrate more on them. The process parameters among six factors influencing in vitro diffusion study were identified using Plackett Burman design. The vesicular sizing parameters, drug entrapment data and drug release characteristics were investigated. Among the various variables screened, millimole (mM) of surfactant and cholesterol, time of hydration, hydration temperature were found to be the most significant factors in the preparation of noisome .