Terbinafine hydrochloride (TBH) (E)-N-(6,6-dimethyl-2-hepten-4-inyl)-N-methyl-1-naphthaline-methanamine(-hydrochloride) is an effective antifungal agent already existing on the market in the form of topical formulations. The present study deals with the preparation and physicochemical characterization (size, polydispersity, zeta-potential) of 1,2-Diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (EggPC) incorporating TBH in two different dispersion media (tris-buffered saline (TBS) of pH 7.4 or in phosphate buffer solution (PS) of pH 5.5) in order to investigate how pH of dispersion media affects the incorporation efficiency of TBH into liposomes. There were further prepared three Carbopol 934 hydrogels of different concentrations (0.5, 1 and 2%) and their viscosity was measured and evaluated. Moreover, the in vitro drug release from three liposomal gels was studied, in order to investigate the ability of liposomes to act as carriers for TBH in a gel. All formulations were found to retain their original physicochemical properties at least for three weeks. These early studies on the release kinetics from liposomal gel show that Korsmeyer-Peppas model could be the best fitted model concerning the TBH release profile and could be supported biophysically from extended Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory.

Selection of excipients used is a critical step in the design of a pharmaceutical dosage form as it affects its behavior upon application, as during storage. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate and compare the behavior of six liposomal formulations intended for topical application composed of two widely used phospholipids 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine with and without incorporation of cholesterol. Liposomal hydrogels made of hydroxyethylcellulose 3% and incorporating the anti-fungal agent terbinafine hydrochloride (E)-N-(6,6-dimethyl-2-hepten-4-inyl)-N-methyl-1-naphthalene-methanamine (-hydrochloride) were prepared, their viscosity was measured and in vitro drug release was studied. Moreover, physical stability and drug retention during storage at two different temperatures (2-8 °C and RT) were examined over time. The results showed differences in the behavior between the two phospholipids while incorporation of cholesterol at the studied concentrations was found to be of minor importance. Drug release was found to be favorable from 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) liposomal hydrogels and drug retention was found to be higher at lower storage temperature for all batches. Original physicochemical properties of all batches were found to be retained at least for a week.