Transethosomes as Advanced Vesicullar Carrier for Enhanced Transdermal Drug Delivery: A Comprehensive Review

Transethosomes are advanced ultradeformable lipid vesicles designed for enhanced transdermal drug delivery, overcoming limitations associated with conventional oral and topical administration, such as first-pass metabolism and poor bioavailability. Composed of phospholipids, ethanol, edge activators, and water, transethosomes combine the advantages of ethosomes and transfersomes, allowing improved penetration through the stratum corneum and delivery of drugs to deeper skin layers. Incorporation into gel formulations further enables controlled and sustained release, making them suitable for localized treatment of chronic conditions, antifungal therapy, antihypertensive administration, and topical antibiotic delivery. Their unique composition enhances vesicle flexibility, skin hydration, and drug encapsulation efficiency while maintaining biocompatibility and biodegradability. Preparation methods include cold and hot techniques, thin-film hydration, mechanical dispersion, and reverse-phase evaporation, and evaluation involves particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, in vitro/in vivo permeation studies, and stability assessments. Despite limitations such as formulation complexity, high production cost, and potential skin irritation, transethosomes show significant promise in pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical applications, including anti-aging and hair care, establishing them as a versatile platform for transdermal drug delivery.