Formulation and comparative screening of allo metallic and herbo metallic topical antifungal systems

Abstract

quotBackground: Fungal infections of the skin are a common dermatological concern, often necessitating the development of effective topical antifungal treatments. Currently, the field of antifungal therapy faces several challenges, including the emergence of drug-resistant fungal strains, limited treatment options, and adverse side effects associated with existing antifungal drugs. newlineAim: The research endeavours to formulate allo-metallic and herbo-metallic broad spectrum topical antifungal formulation and to evaluate them for their efficacy. It also aims to compare herbal and allopathic drugs when enriched with silver metal colloid for antifungal activity. newlineMaterials and Methods: Neem Oil, Thyme Essential oil, and Turmeric essential Oil, as well as Fluconazole and Ketoconazole, were explored with varying amounts of Silver metal colloid and Stearic acid by factorial design 32. The formulation is evaluated for various physical parameters. These independent variable had significant impact on Viscosity, Spreadability and Zone of Inhibition ratio, Design Expert 7 aided in optimizing the formulations. Based on the results of DoE s overlay plots, five formulation were prepared. OP-1: Neem Oil, OP-2: Thyme essential Oil; OP-3: Turmeric essential Oil; OP-4: Fluconazole (FLZ); and OP-5: Ketoconazole (KTZ), respectively. These optimized formulations exhibited viscosities as OP-1 (56980.15±38.44 cP), OP-2 (55617.52±32.40 cP), OP-3 (55380.99±48.98 cP) , OP-4 (56657.82±48.32 cP), and OP-5 (56700.18±53.26 cP). pH values for all the formulations fell within the desired range. Spreadability ranged from 26 to 28 g.cm/sec. signifying ease of application without altering the intended meaning. newlineThe ZOI ratio of metal colloid-drug combination against conventional drugs for batches OP-1 to OP-5 was found to be 1:1.24, 1:1.3, 1:1.12, 1:1.42,1:1.42,1:1.27 respectively, against Candida albicans. The formulations were further studied for drug content, ex-vivo skin permeation studies, and stability studies at accelerated storage condition.