RETRACTED: Development and Optimization of Luliconazole Spanlastics to Augment the Antifungal Activity against Candida albicans

Abstract

Luliconazole is a new topical imidazole antifungal drug for the treatment of skin infections. It has low solubility and poor skin penetration which limits its therapeutic applications. In order to improve its therapeutic efficacy, spanlastics nanoformulation was developed and optimized using a combined mixture-process variable design (CMPV). The optimized formulation was converted into a hydrogel formula to enhance skin penetration and increase the efficacy in experimental cutaneous Candida albicans infections in Swiss mice wounds. The optimized formulation was generated at percentages of Span and Tween of 48% and 52%, respectively, and a sonication time of 6.6 min. The software predicted that the proposed formulation would achieve a particle size of 50 nm with a desirability of 0.997. The entrapment of luliconazole within the spanlastics carrier showed significant (p < 0.0001) antifungal efficacy in the immunocompromised Candida-infected Swiss mice without causing any irritation, when compared to the luliconazole treated groups. The microscopic observation showed almost complete removal of the fungal colonies on the skin of the infected animals (0.2 ± 0.05 log CFU), whereas the control animals had 0.2 ± 0.05 log CFU. Therefore, luliconazole spanlastics could be an effective formulation with improved topical delivery for antifungal activity against C. albicans.

Novel Triazoles with Potent and Broad-Spectrum Antifungal Activity In Vitro and In Vivo

“…Apart from invasive infections, the in vivo efficacy of S -F24 against C. albicans skin infections in mice was also evaluated using luliconazole (Luli) as the positive control. , As shown in Figure A, an aggravated wound was observed in the saline group (control) on day 5 after infection with C. albicans 5314.…”

Advanced Vesicular Systems for Antifungal Drug Delivery

“…Alhakamy et al developed luliconazole loaded spanlastics to enhance the antifungal activity of the drug against Candida albicans [52]. Luliconazole is a new imidazole antifungal drug that treats skin infections.…”

Development of a Luliconazole Nanoemulsion as a Prospective Ophthalmic Delivery System for the Treatment of Fungal Keratitis: In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation

“…NEs, as ocular applications, offer ease of application, less frequent instillation and enhanced ocular bioavailability. Currently the nanoformulations or nanostructure carriers for luliconazole include nanoemulgel [ 27 ], spanlastic nanocarriers [ 28 , 29 ], nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) [ 30 , 31 ], niosomal gel-based systems [ 32 ], luliconazole-based SLN gel for vaginal infection [ 33 ], lyotropic liquid crystalline nanoparticles [ 34 ], vesicular-based gel formulations [ 19 ] and nanocrystal-loaded hydrogels [ 35 ]. These studies about the delivery of luliconazole mainly focused on cutaneous application or vaginal application, and the results demonstrated improved cutaneous permeation.…”