Evaluation of Antifungal Activity of Sustained Release Microsponge Enriched Fluconazole Gel for Penile Candidiasis in Male Rats

Objective of the present study is to formulate the controlled release of fluconazole microsponge using emulsion solvent diffusion with different proportions of ethyl cellulose and fluconazole and evaluate its therapeutic efficacy. These microsponge enriched gel formulation were prepared in 2 % and 3% w/w of sodium alginate and characterized as per WHO Good Manufacturing Guideline for its particle size, physical properties, rheological properties, gel strength, spreadability, mucoadhesive force, drug content, diffusion studies, HPLC analysis and scanning electron microscopy. The particle size ranged from 20 to 36 µm microsponge enriched gel was found to be in the range 2500 to 3900 cps. The maximum gel strength of the MEG was found to be (60 sec. ) and maximum mucoadhesion force was found to be (50.56 dynes/cm 2). The formulations exhibited maximum spreadability (22.14 gm.cm/sec). The optimized formulations were able to release the drug up to 9 h. The pharmacological evaluation showed better therapeutic efficacy in rodents when compared with that of standard marketed fluconazole gel.