FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF 6-SHOGAOL TRANSFEROSOME ANTI-CANCER TRANSDERMAL PATCHES

Abstract: 6-Shogaol, a bioactive ginger-derived phenolic compound with reported anticancer activity, suffers from poor aqueous solubility and limited bioavailability that hinder systemic delivery. This study aimed to formulate and evaluate 6-Shogaol-loaded transferosomes and incorporate them into transdermal patches to achieve sustained, targeted dermal delivery for anticancer therapy. Transferosomes were prepared by the thin-film hydration method using phospholipids and edge-activators, and optimized for vesicle size, polydispersity, zeta potential and entrapment efficiency. Optimized vesicles were characterized by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy, then loaded into a polymeric matrix by solvent-casting to produce transdermal patches. The patches were evaluated for physicochemical properties (thickness, weight uniformity, folding endurance, tensile strength, surface pH), drug content and in vitro release. Ex vivo permeation across excised mammalian skin and skin retention studies were performed to assess transdermal delivery potential. In vitro cytotoxicity and cell-viability assays on representative cancer cell lines were used to compare the anticancer efficacy of 6-Shogaol in transferosomal patches versus free drug. Stability studies under accelerated conditions evaluated formulation integrity. Results demonstrated that transferosomes provided high encapsulation of 6-Shogaol, nanosized uniform vesicles, and improved drug deposition in skin with sustained release from the patch matrix. Ex vivo permeation and cytotoxicity data indicated enhanced transdermal delivery and greater anticancer activity compared with non-encapsulated drug. The developed 6-Shogaol transferosomal transdermal patch shows promise as a non-invasive platform for sustained, targeted anticancer therapy and warrants further preclinical investigation.