Acne vulgaris is a common inflammatory skin disorder. It affects the pilosebaceous units followed by an overgrowth by Propionibacterium acne bacteria. Dapsone is a sulfone antibiotic with an anti-inflammatory effect, which is considered to be accountable for its effectiveness in the treatment of acne vulgaris. The present study aims to prepare and evaluate the effectiveness of dapsone niosomes for topical application with an objective to control and prolong the release of the drug with improved skin penetration as a novel formulation for healing of mild to moderate acne vulgaris. Niosomes were formulated by thin film hydration method using different ratios of surfactants (various spans 20, 40, 60 and 80) and cholesterol and were investigated with respect to its shape, size, entrapment efficiency, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and in vitro release. Fifteen patients with mild to moderate acne vulgaris were selected and treated with dapsone niosomes as a single topical treatment for their acne lesions. Clinical assessment was done before and after 2 and 8 weeks of treatment.  Niosomes containing span 60 showed a higher percentage of drug release after 24 h and greater entrapment efficiency as compared to other formulations. The clinical improvement was noticeable after 2 weeks of treatment with highly significant improvement of acne lesions after 8 weeks of treatment (P < 0.001). Dapsone niosomes is a promising topical formulation for safe, tolerable and effective drug delivery system with minimal side effects apart from mild erythema and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. 

 

Key words: Dapsone, acne vulgaris, niosomes, topical, clinical application.