Transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS) offer a promising alternative to conventional drug administration by providing controlled drug release, improved bioavailability, and enhanced patient compliance. The present study aimed to develop and evaluate matrix-type transdermal patches of metformin hydrochloride for sustained drug delivery in the management of diabetes mellitus. Transdermal patches were prepared using the solvent evaporation method with ethyl cellulose (EC) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP K-30) in varying ratios, employing dibutyl phthalate as a plasticizer. Various permeation enhancers, including dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), Tween-80, eucalyptus oil, and olive oil, were incorporated at different concentrations. The prepared patches were evaluated for physicochemical properties such as thickness, weight variation, drug content, moisture content, flatness, and tensile strength. In vitro drug release studies were performed using USP dissolution apparatus, while ex vivo permeation studies were conducted using excised rat skin in a Franz diffusion cell. Stability studies were carried out as per ICH guidelines. The formulated patches exhibited satisfactory physicochemical characteristics with uniform drug distribution (96.23–98.89%). Among all formulations, F3 (EC: PVP 3:2) showed optimal mechanical properties and sustained drug release. The incorporation of permeation enhancers significantly improved drug release and permeation, with FT1 (2% Tween-80) showing maximum drug release (98.89%) and highest flux (32.89 µg/cm²/h). Drug release followed Higuchi and Korsmeyer–Peppas kinetics, indicating diffusion-controlled, non-Fickian transport. Stability studies confirmed that the optimized formulation remained stable under accelerated conditions. In conclusion, the developed transdermal matrix patch of metformin hydrochloride demonstrated sustained drug release, enhanced permeation, and improved stability, suggesting its potential as an effective alternative to conventional oral therapy for diabetes management.
Jain* et al. (Wed,) studied this question.