PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NANOGEL DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM CONTAINING CLOTRIMAZOLE AN ANTI-FUNGAL DRUG"

The present work is to formulate, characterize and evaluate the Clotrimazole nanogel. The nanogel of clotrimazole is prepared by solvent diffusion method (high speed homogenization) using Carbopol 940 and Locust bean gum as polymers and triethanolamine as a gelling agent. And they are characterized for FTIR studies, Surface morphology, Particle size analysis, and evaluated for homogeneity, pH, spreadibility, extrudability, Drug content studies, viscosity, in-vitro diffusion and stabilities studies. FTIR studies revealed that the drug and polymer are compatible with each other during preparation. The average particle size ranges from 410 nm to 530 nm. The nanogel formed a moderately spherical and smooth in surface as observed in SEM. Homogeneity and extrudability studies reveal that the nanogel was homogenous and easily extrudable. The pH data shows all the formulation are in the range of 6.1 to 6.9 and they are in compatible to skin pH. Viscosity studies shows the results in the range of 3268-3528 cps, and having good viscous property. The drug content studies of formulations were from 82.16 to 90.15 %. In vitro diffusion studies of prepared nano gel follow Pappas’s dissolution kinetics with controlled release mechanism. And by fitting in Korsemeyer- Peppa’s equation it shows non Fickian kinetics. From the stability studies data, it was found that there was no such difference in drug content and In-vitro drug release. This indicates the prepared nano gel formulations are stable. Formulation F9 shows good results for the invitro diffusion studies for controlled release.