EXPLORATION AND ELUCIDATION OF THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF HPMC BASED HERBAL TRANSDERMAL PATCHES, DEVELOPED FOR THE TREATMENT OF FUNGAL SKIN INFECTIONS

Fungal infections represent a significant global challenge within the realm of dermatology. The prevalence of fungal infections is notably high, affecting approximately 40 million individuals in developing and underdeveloped countries. Considering this, our study proposes a novel approach: transdermal drug delivery utilizing herbal formulations to enhance efficacy & minimize side effects in the treatment of fungal infections. Seven Ayurveda plants extracts were selected & formulated in a 1:1 ratio. These herbal formulations were incorporated into dermal patches composed of HPMC& PEG. Subsequently, the herbal transdermal patch was subjected to characterization like UV spectrometry, folding endurance, thickness measurement, & surface pH determination. The antifungal property of these patches was evaluated against Candida albicans by determining MIC and Agar Well method. The prepared patches exhibited distinctive UV-visible spectra within the 200-800 nm range for the HPMC-based, displayed a thickness of 0.063 ± 0.01, a weight of 206 ± 5.1 mg, and a surface pH of 5.7. The transdermal drug delivery system demonstrated potent fungal inhibition at a concentration of 2.5 mg/ml, as evidenced by MIC, while the Agar Well method exhibited significant inhibition of Candida growth. Transdermal drug patches hold promising rapid & potent treatment for skin fungal infections.