Abstract

DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF INVASOMES GEL OF EFINACONAZOLE

Praveen Kumar Ashok, Archana Rautela, Soni Matela and Brajansh Rajput*

ABSTRACT

Onychomycosis, a common fungal infection affecting nails, can be treated with antifungal drugs like efinaconazole. This study focuses on enhancing the delivery of efinaconazole using invasomes, a novel transdermal delivery technology. The objective was to evaluate and optimize the invasome formulation by analyzing surface charge, entrapment efficiency, particle size, stability, and in vitro drug release. The optimized invasome formulation containing 0.1% w/w efinaconazole achieved a vesicle size between 119 and 124 nm, confirming a homogeneous vesicle population. The formulation demonstrated a high entrapment efficiency ranging from 85.5% to 91.5%, reflecting the successful encapsulation of the drug. The invasome suspension exhibited a pH of 6.5–6.8, suitable for both stability and skin compatibility. The viscosity was measured at 240–251 centipoise (cP), confirming its appropriateness for topical application. Spreadability values were between 7.1 and 7.9 g.cm/s,indicating good applicability on the skin. The zeta potential of -30 to – 40 mV suggested a moderately high negative surface charge, contributing to stability by preventing aggregation. This characteristic also indicates the potential enhancement of drug penetration through biological membranes. The in vitro release study demonstrated a controlled and sustained release profile, with 86% to 92% of the drug released over 48 hours. These findings highlight the potential of invasome-based efinaconazole formulations as an effective topical treatment for onychomycosis.

Keywords: Onychomycosis, Transdermal Delivery Technology, Efinaconazole, Invasomes Gel.