FORMULATION AND IN VITRO EVALUATION OF SOLID DISPERSION OF FLUCONAZOLE

The Goal of the present investigation was to design and evaluate gels for topical delivery of water insoluble antifungal agent Fluconazole with an aim to increase its penetration through skin and there by its flux. This is a broad spectrum imidazole derivative useful in the treatment of superficial and systemic fungal infections. The solubility of Fluconazole is increased by preparing solid dispersions with using mannitol, urea, polyethylene glycol 6000, polyvinyl pyrrolidone K30 and ß-cyclodextrin as carrier.  Solid dispersion of Fluconazole was prepared by physical mixture method, solvent evaporation method, fusion method, Kneading Method and complex formation, in-vitro release profiles of all solid dispersions were comparatively evaluated and also studied against pure drug of Fluconazole. Faster dissolution was exhibited by solid dispersion containing 1:3 ratio of drug: mannitol by fusion method.  The prepared solid dispersions were subjected for percent practical yield, drug content, infra red (I.R.) spectroscopic studies and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). FT-IR spectra revealed no chemical incompatibility between drug and mannitol. Drug- polymer interactions were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The formulation (FCS2) containing carbopol 934 (1%) with sodium lauryl sulphate 0.5% (500mg)  showed best in vitro release of 98.95% at the end of 6 hrs.