title: Transdermal absorption enhancing effect of the essential oil of Rosmarinus officinalis on percutaneous absorption of Na diclofenac from topical gel.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rosemary essential oil has been used topically for several purposes (analgesic, anti acne, and anti-inflammatory) in Iranian traditional medicine.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This investigation aimed to study the effect of essential oil of Rosmarinus officinalis L. (Lamiaceae) on the transdermal absorption of Na diclofenac from topical gel.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diclofenac sodium topical gel was prepared with HPMC K4M and Carbopol 934P as a gelling agent, and several vehicles. The most stable gel was chosen and enhancing effects of the essential oil with different concentrations (0.1, 0.5, and 1.0% w/w) on the permeation of diclofenac were evaluated. The anti-nociceptive effect of preparations was evaluated based on the formalin and tail flick tests in mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The major constituents of the essential oil were 1,8-cineol (15.96%), α-pinene (13.38%), camphor (7.87%), bornyl acetate (6.54%), verbenone (5.82%), borneol (5.23%), camphene (4.96%), and (E)-caryophyllene (3.8%). Topical diclofenac containing 0.5% essential oil showed more analgesic effect after 25, 30, and 35 min (p < 0.001) than the reference drug in the tail flick test. The analgesic effect of preparation containing 1% essential oil was more than reference gel after 15 min (p < 0.05). This difference was observed after 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 min (p < 0.001) too. Rosemary essential oil 1% promoted analgesic effect of drug in comparison with diclofenac gel in the formalin early phase (p < 0.05). The enhancing effect of rosemary was observed in 0.5 and 1% concentration (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively) in the late phase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study proved the enhancing effect of 0.5 and 1% of rosemary essential oil on diclofenac percutaneous absorption.
authors: Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences , Sari , Iran .
authors: Jafar
authors: J
authors: Akbari
authors: Majid
authors: M
authors: Saeedi
authors: Davood
authors: D
authors: Farzin
authors: Katayoun
authors: K
authors: Morteza-Semnani
authors: Zahra
authors: Z
authors: Esmaili
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005782:Gels; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000379:methods; D027542:Rosmarinus; D012869:Skin Absorption / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D005782:Gels; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D004008:Diclofenac; C053775:rosemary oil
keywords: Enhancer; GC-MS; formalin test; percutaneous; rosemary; tail-flick