DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF TEA TREE OIL INFUSED ANTIFUNGAL NAIL LACQUER: A PROMISING ALTERNATIVE FOR TREATING ONYCHOMYCOSIS

Onychomycosis is a fungal infection of fingernails and toenails which accounts for majority of all nail disorders caused by Dermatophytes, Candida and Nondermatophytic Molds. Numerous Antifungal formulations are available in the market in the form of cream, ointment, lotion, powder, and solutions which require high concentration of active agents to be incorporated and have short residence time on the nail bed leading to inadequate penetration and lower efficacy. In the current study an effort is given to develop a superior alternative dosage form using essential oil as an antifungal agent. A medicated antifungal nail lacquer containing Tea Tree oil was developed using different penetration enhancers followed by evaluation of critical quality attributes. The formulation containing both Thioglycolic acid and salicylic acid at the concentration of 15% w/v exhibited favorable characteristics including non-volatile content, drug release, drug content, antimicrobial efficacy and permeability. The formulation containing both thioglycolic acid and salicylic acid exhibited prolonged release for around 12 hours with good permeability. Moreover, the nail lacquer forms a stable film immediately after application which ensures proper residence time for the drug at site. The developed tea tree oil based antifungal nail lacquer containing a combination of both salicylic acid and thioglycolic acid can be considered as a promising alternative to available marketed formulations owing to its superior penetrability and enhanced antifungal activity.