PREPARATION AND IN-VITRO EVALUATION OF ITRACONAZOLE LOADED NANOSPONGES FOR TOPICAL DRUG DELIVERY

Itraconazole is an imidazole derivative and used for the treatment of local and systemic fungal infections. It is a BCS Class II drug having very low solubility in water i.e. 1-4ng/ml.  T he oral use of Itraconazole is not much recommended as it has many side effects. The present research has been undertaken with the aim to develop a topical hydrogel formulation of Itraconazole loaded nanosponges to increase the solubility, permeability and stability of itraconazole. Itraconazole loaded nanosponge was prepared by emulsion solvent diffusion method by using different concentrations of ethyl cellulose as a polymer, Polyvinyl alcohol as surfactant and dichloromethane as cross linking agent. Physical characteristics of the nanosponges as well as the drug entrapment efficiency, percentage drug content, Percent yield, drug polymer compatibility, solubility studies of the nanosponges were investigated. Particle size analysis and surface morphology of nanosponges were performed. The scanning electron microscopy of nanosponges showed that they were spherical in shape and spongy in nature. Drug entrapment efficiency was found to be in the range of 42.75 % to 73.10 %. The optimized nanosponge formulation was loaded into hydrogel using carbopol 940 and studied for pH, viscosity, in vitro drug release. Of the nanosponge formulations prepared, F4 was found to show drug release of 70.62%. It was concluded that Itraconazole nanosponge hydrogel may have increased solubility, and drug release.