Abstract

Deepak Kumar, Suruchi Prasad

ABSTRACT

Fungal infections continue to pose a significant global health burden, necessitating the development of effective antifungal agents. Itraconazole, a member of the phenylpiperazine class of compounds, has shown promising antifungal activity; however, its limited water solubility and bioavailability hinder its clinical use. To address these challenges, this research focuses on the development and characterization of Itraconazole-loaded microsponges as a novel drug delivery system. Microsponges are highly porous and cross-linked polymer-based carriers that offer controlled drug release and improved therapeutic outcomes. In this study, Itraconazole microsponge formulations were prepared using the quasi-emulsion solvent diffusion method, employing Eudragit RS 100 and Ethyl cellulose as polymers. The physical and spectroscopic characterization of Itraconazole was performed to verify its identity, purity, and compatibility with the chosen polymers. UV-Visible spectrophotometry and Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectra confirmed the drug's authenticity and linear relationship between concentration and absorbance. Particle size analysis revealed a range of particle sizes among different microsponge batches, with entrapment efficiency ranging from 73.8% to 97.12%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated the porous nature and spherical morphology of the Itraconazole microsponges. The antifungal activity of the Itraconazole-loaded microsponge gel was assessed using the in vitro disc diffusion method. The results indicated promising inhibition zones, validating the formulation's efficacy. The successful development of Itraconazole-loaded microsponges offers a potential solution to the challenges posed by conventional Itraconazole formulations. The controlled drug release and enhanced antifungal activity make these microsponge-based formulations promising candidates for the treatment of fungal infections.