Research Article
DRUG DELIVERY ACROSS HUMAN NAIL: A NEWER APPROACH
Abstract
Transungual drug delivery system deals with the drug delivery through the hard keratinized nail plate. Different topical nail formulations like lacquers, enamel, and varnish are used for cosmetic purposes.They serve to protect the nail plate but also beautify and impart attractive colors. In present scientist and different researchers are working to treat different nail diseases like onycomycosis, nail psoriasis, yellow nail syndrome, paronychia. Nails disorders are mainly due to fungal infection, when drug is given through oral/systemic route, potency of drug gets decreased at the site of action. To avoid this lose of drug potency topical route of administration is used. The absorption of drugs into the nail unit to the nail plate is essential to produce therapeutic effects. By means of transungual drug delivery system oral toxicity of different drugs like anti-fungal can be avoided and also drug get longer contact time at the site of application. However nail permeability is low but this can be modified by altering the nail plate barrier by means of chemical treatments, penetration enhancers as well as physical and mechanical methods.
