FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF MICONAZOLE NITRATE LOADED NANOSPONGES FOR VAGINAL DRUG DELIVERY

The aim of this work is to enhance the solubility of Miconazole nitrate and to control the drug release for a prolonged period. β - Cyclodextrin based nanosponges were prepared by cross - linking β - Cyclodextrin with carbonate bonds of di phenyl carbonate in different proportions, which are porous as well as nanosized. Drug was incorporated by solvent evaporation method by dissolving th e drug in various solvents like ethanol, acetone and chloroform. The formulated nanosponges were incorporated into carbopol gel. From the encapsulation efficiency of the drug loaded nanosponges formulations, it was inferred that as the crosslinking ratio increased the encapsulation efficiency was found to be enhanced. It is also found that the encapsulation efficiency of drug loaded nanosponges are influenced by the solvent used for drug loading by solvent evaporation technique. Based on the drug enca psulation efficiency , drug content and extent of sustained nature , the gel prepared with polymer and crosslinking agent in 1:1 ratio, chloroform as a solvent and carbopol as a gellling agent (F12 formulation) was concluded to be the best formulation. All the formulations followed zero order release kinetics and mechanism of drug release was governed by Peppas model . The diffusion exponential coefficient(n) values were found to be in between 0.9402 to 1.1864 indicating non fickian diffusion mech anism. The optimized formulation has good spreadability, extrudability and mucoadhesive nature. The P H and viscosity of the formulation were appropriate for the vaginal drug delivery and nanosponges technique was a better choice for sustained release with very fewer chances for the burst effect. Key Words : Miconazole, β - cyclodextrin, nanosponges,diffusion rate