Abstract

EVALUATION OF ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF CLOTRIMAZOLE MICROSPHERES WITH DIFFERENT POLYMERS AGAINST CANDIDA ALBICANS

*Koteswara Rao Pachava, K. Kamalakanth Shenoy,
Varanasi S. N. Murthy, Lakshmi Kavitha Nadendla

Abstract

Background and Aim: Numerous controlled drug delivery systems have been used in management of fungal infections nowadays. One such approach is using microspheres as carrier for drugs. The aim of this study is to compare the antifungal activity of clotrimazole microspheres prepared with natural and synthetic polymers against candida albicans at different concentrations. Materials and method: Clotrimazole microspheres are prepared by using different polymers like hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), ethyl cellulose (EC), Poly lactic glycolic acid (50:50) (PLGA) and chitosan. Clotrimazole microspheres with all the polymers and clotrimazole pure powder were taken at different concentrations (1.5, 1, 0.5 % w/v) and tested against candida albicans by agar diffusion well punch method at 24 hours and 48 hours. Results: Clotrimazole pure powder (Cp) showed maximum mean inhibitory diameter (MID) of 36 ± 1.74mm at 1% w/v concentration at the end of 24 hours followed by clotrimazole microsphere with chitosan polymer (CMC) showed 20 ± 1.71mm at 1% concentration. Microsphere forms prepared with other polymers like HPMC, EC and PLGA showed less MID compared to chitosan. After 48 hours MID of CMC was increased to 26.3 ± 1.13mm, whereas the MID of Cp did not change after 48 hours. Conclusion: Though the MID of CMC was less compared to Cp at 24 hours, it increased after 48 hours compared to Cp where there was no change, suggesting that the drug is diffusing slowly from the microsphere indicating that it can be used as controllable drug delivery system.

Keywords: Microsphere, Polymers, Mean inhibitory diameter, Chitosan.