Fabrication and characterization of itraconazole loaded anisotropic solid lipid-mannitol microstructures for enhanced antifungal activity.

ABSTRACT

Anisotropic microparticles containing flower like morphologies have recently attracted significant attention due to their potentially varied application range. Aim of the present work was to build an anisotropic drug delivery system (ASLMMSs) for the encapsulation and enhancement of antifungal activity of a hydrophobic antifungal drug i.e. itraconazole (IRL) with the combination of lipophilic (lipids) as well as hydrophilic (mannitol) materials. Encapsulation efficiency (EE) due to glyceryl monosteatrate (G.ASLMMSs) was 89.02%, whereas Precirol ATO5 formulation (P.ASLMMSs) showed 96.98% EE. FTIR analysis discovered the hydrogen bonding and Vander Waal's forces between lipids and mannitol, while evaluation of XRD data revealed the detailed structural and microstructural characterization indicating the crystallinity of final formulations. Observation under SEM revealed that the final formulations grew in the form of flower like morphologies. These flower-like structures were more obvious for P.ASLMMSs. The increment in dissolution rate (>80% in 6h) could be attributed to the mannitol. Dilutions of Itraconazole loaded anisotropic solid lipid mannitol microstructures (ASLMMSs) in water at concentration range of (500µg/mL, 250µg/mL, 125µg/mL and 75µg/mL) exhibited increased antifungal activity, while free IRL dilution in water showed no zone of inhibition. Both formulations, specifically P.ASLMMSs could signify a promising drug delivery system for lipophilic antifungal drugs.