SOLID LIPID NANOPARTICLES BASED GEL FOR TOPICAL DELIVERY OF ANTIFUNGAL AGENT

The aim of present work was to develop and evaluate solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) based gel for topical delivery of antifungal agent. Bifonazole (BFZ) is an imidazole antifungal agent having broad spectrum activity against dermatophytes, moulds, yeasts, fungi and some gram positive bacteria. BFZ SLNs systems were developed by melt emulsification followed by ultrasonication technique using Precirol ATO5 as a solid lipid and Tween 80 as a surfactant. Developed SLNs were evaluated for particle size, polydispersity index (PI), entrapment efficiency (EE) and drug release profiles. Process and formulation parameters were optimized. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies were carried out on SLNs to mark the changes in the drug and lipid modifications. The BFZ SLNs based gels were prepared using Carbopol 940 as a gelling agent. The SLNs based gels were evaluated for rheological parameters, in vitro drug release and permeation studies. In vitro antifungal study suggested that the SLNs based gel was more effective in inhibiting growth of Candida albicans. Thus the study concludes that SLNs based gel of BFZ gives a sustained release profile of BFZ and has the potential for treatment of topical fungal infections.