Abstract

DEVELOPMENT AND OPTIMIZATION OF ECONAZOLE SPANLASTICS FOR FUNGAL KERATITIS

Priya Aggarwal* and Bhag Chand

Abstract

Fungal keratitis is characterized by a corneal epithelial defect and inflammation of the corneal stroma and can lead to vision loss. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of spanlastics as an ocular delivery system to improve the corneal permeability and antimycotic activity of econazole nitrate. Spanlastics containing edge activator (Tween 80) non-ionic surfactant (Span 60) were produced by ethanol injection method. The Box -Behnken statistical design was used to study the effect of three independent variables, namely, the – Span 60: tween 80 ratio, stirring speed and Sonication time. The effects of these parameters on the mean particle size, polydispersity index (PDI) and entrapment efficiency (EE) were investigated as dependent variables. The Design Expert software suggested an optimized formula to be prepared whose overall desirability was 1.00. The optimized formulation was characterized and evaluated for different parameters such as particle size, zeta potential, EE, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared analysis, In -vitro and ex vivo permeation study. Size, PDI and EE of optimized formulation were found to be 150.3 nm, 0.474 and 90.1%. The morphology study ensured the formation of spherical vesicles. Further, the spanlastics was compared with Econazole solution for permeability and it was observed that the permeability was higher in case of spanlastics formulations. Results revealed that spanlastics loaded with Econazole could be a potential nanosystem in ocular.

Keywords: Ocular delivery, Spanlastics, Edge activator, Econazole, Span 60, Tween 80.