Microemulsions and microemulsion-based gels can also be used for the delivery of many drugs including antifungal drugs through stratum corneum due to their capacity to act as skin penetration enhancement. In addition to a comprehensive review of microemulsion and microemulsion-based gels as suitable carriers for skin delivery of various antifungal drugs, this review also aims to discuss the delivery of antifungal phytochemicals.
CTZ-ME and CTZ-MBG could deliver the drug through CAM, the model for buccal delivery. Additionally, they did not cause irritancy and had effective antifungal activity against C. albicans. The results indicated that CTZ-ME and CTZ-MBG were potential effective antifungal formulations to treat oral candidiasis.
This study aimed to formulate and physically characterized clotrimazole microemulsions and microemulsion based-gels compared with their blank counterparts. Microemulsions were prepared by simple mixing of isopropyl palmitate, 2:1 mixture of water and isopropyl alcohol and 1:1 mixture of polyethylene 20 sorbitan monooleate and sorbitan monooleate. To develop microemulsion-based gels, fumed silica was use as a thickening agent at 2.5, 5 or 7.5% w/w. All studied formulations, i.e., 2 microemulsions and 6 microemulsion based-gels were investigated for physical properties such as appearance, conductivity, pH, rheological behavior and spreadability. Afterwards, 2 microemulsions (ME1 and ME2) and 2 microemulsion based-gels (MBG1-3 and MBG2-2) were selected to incorporate with clotrimazole and then investigated for physical properties. All formulations showed good appearance and physical properties. Clotrimazole did not a®ect most characteristics of their blank counterparts, except conductivity. Therefore, the investigated microemulsions and microemulsion based gels could be used as the vehicles of clotrimazole for skin drug delivery.
Aim: Antifungal activity, skin permeation and skin retention of water-in-oil microemulsion (ME) and microemulsion-based gel (MBG) containing clotrimazole (CTZ) were evaluated in comparison to a conventional CTZ cream. Methods: CTZ-ME and CTZ-MBG containing 1% w/w of CTZ were produced. Antifungal activity against Trichophyton mentagrophytes was assessed by the agar diffusion method. Pig skin was used in the in vitro penetration study using modified Franz diffusion cells. Drug amounts which permeated into the receptor fluid, retained in the skin membrane and remained in the donor compartment were analyzed by a validated HPLC technique. Results: CTZ-ME and CTZ-MBG exhibited inhibition zones against T. mentagrophytes whereas the conventional cream did not reveal any inhibition zone in the assay. While no CTZ was detected in the receptor fluid up to 24 h following the in vitro penetration study from all tested formulations, the amount of CTZ retained in the skin membrane when applying CTZ-ME and CTZ-MBG was remarkably higher than that when applying the cream. Conclusion: Results revealed the capacity of ME and MBG in improving skin bioavailability of CTZ while reducing the risk of systemic side effects. Thereby, ME and MBG could increase the efficacy of CTZ for dermatophytosis treatment in comparison to conventional cream.
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