Sulconazole-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for Enhanced Antifungal Activity: In Vitro and In Vivo Approach

• Published in: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2023-11, Vol.28 (22), p.7508
• Main Authors: Samee, Ayesha, Usman, Faisal, Wani, Tanveer A, Farooq, Mudassir, Shah, Hamid Saeed, Javed, Ibrahim, Ahmad, Hassan, Khan, Riffat, Zargar, Seema, Kausar, Safina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Animals; anti-fungal gel; Antifungal agents; Antifungal Agents - chemistry; Decomposition; Delayed-Action Preparations; Drug Carriers - chemistry; Drug delivery systems; Drug resistance; Fatty acids; Fungal infections; histopathology; Lipids; Mycoses; Nanoparticles; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Particle Size; Patient compliance; Phase transitions; Rabbits; Skin; solid lipid nanoparticles; Spectrum analysis; sulconazole; Surface active agents; Surfactants; Transdermal medication
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules28227508

Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) have the advantages of a cell-specific delivery and sustained release of hydrophobic drugs that can be exploited against infectious diseases. The topical delivery of hydrophobic drugs needs pharmaceutical strategies to enhance drug permeation, which is a challenge faced by conventional formulations containing a drug suspended in gel, creams or ointments. We report the fabrication and optimization of SLNs with sulconazole (SCZ) as a model hydrophobic drug and then a formulation of an SLN-based topical gel against fungal infections. The SLNs were optimized through excipients of glyceryl monostearate and Phospholipon 90 H as lipids and tween 20 as a surfactant for its size, drug entrapment and sustained release and resistance against aggregation. The SCZ-SLNs were physically characterized for their particle size (89.81 ± 2.64), polydispersity index (0.311 ± 0.07), zeta potential (-26.98 ± 1.19) and encapsulation efficiency (86.52 ± 0.53). The SCZ-SLNs showed sustained release of 85.29% drug at the 12 h timepoint. The TEM results demonstrated spherical morphology, while DSC, XRD and FTIR showed the compatibility of the drug inside SLNs. SCZ-SLNs were incorporated into a gel using carbopol and were further optimized for their rheological behavior, pH, homogeneity and spreadability on the skin. The antifungal activity against and was increased in comparison to a SCZ carbopol-based gel. In vivo antifungal activity in rabbits presented faster healing of skin fungal infections. The histopathological examination of the treated skin from rabbits presented restoration of the dermal architecture. In summary, the approach of formulating SLNs into a topical gel presented an advantageous drug delivery system against mycosis.