Abstract

DESIGN, FORMULATION & EVALUATION OF FLUCONAZOLE MUCOADHESIVE BUCCAL FILM FOR ORAL CANDIDIASIS – A PROJECT

^*Ratna Ramchandra Chavan, Sanskruti Shinde,  Prachi Jagdale

Abstract

The present study focuses on the design, formulation, and evaluation of mucoadhesive buccal films containing Fluconazole for the effective treatment of oral candidiasis. Oral candidiasis is a common fungal infection caused predominantly by Candida albicans, often requiring sustained local drug delivery for optimal therapeutic outcomes. Mucoadhesive buccal films offer several advantages over conventional dosage forms, including prolonged residence time, avoidance of first-pass metabolism, and enhanced patient compliance. Fluconazole, a broad-spectrum antifungal agent, was incorporated into polymeric films using solvent casting technique. Various mucoadhesive polymers such as Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), Carbopol, and Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were employed in different combinations to optimize film characteristics. In this carbopol is used .The formulated films were evaluated for physicochemical parameters including thickness, weight uniformity, folding endurance, surface pH, drug content, mucoadhesive strength, and in vitro drug release profile. The optimized formulation exhibited satisfactory physicochemical properties, strong mucoadhesion, and a sustained drug release. The results suggest that Fluconazole mucoadhesive buccal film is a promising alternative for the effective localized treatment of oral candidiasis with improved patient acceptability and therapeutic efficacy.

Keywords: Mucoadhesive, Candida albicans, Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), Carbopol, buccal film.