European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

DEVELOPMENT AND OPTIMIZATION OF NIOSOMAL INSITU GEL LOADED WITH FLUCONAZOLE FOR OCULAR DRUG DELIVERY

Parthiban S. and Rachana M. Y.*

ABSTRACT

The aim of the present study is to formulate and evaluate niosomal formulations as ocular drug delivery systems of Fluconazole to improve its therapeutic effect in a controlled manner. A 2x3 factorial design have been applied for optimization, by varying surfactant and soya lecithin concentration. These formulations were evaluated for entrapment efficiency, particle size, zeta potential and in vitro drug release. Particle size of the F2, F7 formulation was found to be 706.1nm and 915.8nm and zeta potential of the F2, F7 formulation was found to be -31.3 and -50.9mV respectively. The highest entrapment efficiency and drug content is observed in F7 niosomal formulation with 93.22 % and 91 % respectively. Since the formulation F7 showed maximum amount of %drug content, %drug entrapment efficiency. 2x3 factorial designs were applied by using QI MACROS 2022 to study effect and interaction on the response of % EE and for the optimization process were performed by using DESIGN EXPERT-13 software. drug will release in controlled manner for prolonged time. and hence F7 niosomal formulation were selected as optimized and further used for niosomal in-situ gel by using the Carbopol 934 at 3 % w/v as a polymer (gelling agent). Further the prepared in-situ gel (GF7) was evaluated. Viscosity (759±3.051). Hence the results clearly showed that the in-situ gels have ability to retain the drug for prolonged periods. The % CDR of mucoadhesive niosomal in-situ gel formulation GF7 was found to be 89.92 % and which follows zero order. The ‘n’ values for all the formulation were found to be more than 0.5. this indicates that the release approximates non-fickian diffusion mechanism.

Keywords: Niosome, In-situ gel, Fluconazole, Carbopol 934, ocular drug delivery.