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Transdermal Drug Delivery of an ACE Inhibitor (Fosinopril) by the Solution-Casting Technique: A Comprehensive Review of Formulation, Skin Permeation and Evaluation
Subject area: Biological & Medical Sciences · Area of research: Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems
Abstract
Hypertension is among the foremost causes of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are a mainstay of its long-term management. Conventional oral ACE-inhibitor therapy is nonetheless limited by hepatic first-pass metabolism, fluctuating plasma concentrations, frequent dosing and consequent lapses in patient adherence. The transdermal route offers an attractive alternative, delivering drug across the skin in a controlled, sustained fashion while bypassing first-pass metabolism and improving compliance. This review examines the rational design of a transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS) for the newer phosphinic ACE inhibitor fosinopril, fabricated as a matrix-type patch by the simple and widely used solution-(solvent-)casting technique. The structure of the skin and the mechanisms of percutaneous absorption are reviewed to frame the central barrier role of the stratum corneum, followed by the pharmacology of fosinopril—a lipophilic prodrug hydrolysed to the active diacid fosinoprilat—and the rationale for its transdermal delivery. The principal TDDS designs, the film-forming polymers (HPMC, PVA, ethyl cellulose and Eudragit), plasticizers and chemical permeation enhancers (DMSO, oleic acid and menthol) are surveyed, and the solution-casting process is described step by step. The complete evaluation framework—thickness, weight uniformity, folding endurance, tensile strength, drug content, moisture studies, in-vitro release and its kinetics, and ex-vivo permeation through excised skin in a Franz diffusion cell with determination of steady-state flux and lag time—is set out, with illustrative analytical data and current market context presented graphically. Polymer ratio, plasticizer level and permeation enhancers emerge as the key levers governing patch performance, and the solution-cast fosinopril matrix patch is shown to be a scientifically rational platform for sustained antihypertensive therapy.
Keywords
Transdermal Drug Delivery, Fosinopril, ACE Inhibitor, Solution Casting, Matrix Patch; Permeation Enhancer, Franz Diffusion Cell; Stratum Corneum, Hypertension.
How to cite this paper
@article{1722289,
author = {Tanveer Ahmad, Dharmendra Kumar, Vedant Kumar Prajapati},
title = {Transdermal Drug Delivery of an ACE Inhibitor (Fosinopril) by the Solution-Casting Technique: A Comprehensive Review of Formulation, Skin Permeation and Evaluation},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2026},
volume = {10},
number = {2},
pages = {1138-1153},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1722289.pdf},
abstract = {Hypertension is among the foremost causes of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are a mainstay of its long-term management. Conventional oral ACE-inhibitor therapy is nonetheless limited by hepatic first-pass metabolism, fluctuating plasma concentrations, frequent dosing and consequent lapses in patient adherence. The transdermal route offers an attractive alternative, delivering drug across the skin in a controlled, sustained fashion while bypassing first-pass metabolism and improving compliance. This review examines the rational design of a transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS) for the newer phosphinic ACE inhibitor fosinopril, fabricated as a matrix-type patch by the simple and widely used solution-(solvent-)casting technique. The structure of the skin and the mechanisms of percutaneous absorption are reviewed to frame the central barrier role of the stratum corneum, followed by the pharmacology of fosinopril—a lipophilic prodrug hydrolysed to the active diacid fosinoprilat—and the rationale for its transdermal delivery. The principal TDDS designs, the film-forming polymers (HPMC, PVA, ethyl cellulose and Eudragit), plasticizers and chemical permeation enhancers (DMSO, oleic acid and menthol) are surveyed, and the solution-casting process is described step by step. The complete evaluation framework—thickness, weight uniformity, folding endurance, tensile strength, drug content, moisture studies, in-vitro release and its kinetics, and ex-vivo permeation through excised skin in a Franz diffusion cell with determination of steady-state flux and lag time—is set out, with illustrative analytical data and current market context presented graphically. Polymer ratio, plasticizer level and permeation enhancers emerge as the key levers governing patch performance, and the solution-cast fosinopril matrix patch is shown to be a scientifically rational platform for sustained antihypertensive therapy.},
keywords = {Transdermal Drug Delivery, Fosinopril, ACE Inhibitor, Solution Casting, Matrix Patch; Permeation Enhancer, Franz Diffusion Cell; Stratum Corneum, Hypertension.},
month = {August},
}