Formulation and Evaluation of Antifungal Shampoo Containing Modified Coconut Oil for Tinea Capitis Treatment

Abstract

Modified coconut oil (MCO) has been reported as a promising material for eradication of various fungi which are the primary causes of tinea capitis. The antifungal shampoo is reported as an effective adjuvant therapy for fungi infection. In order to develop MCO as an active ingredient in antifungal shampoo, formulation factors affecting the physical and antifungal properties of shampoo including type and amount of surfactants were investigated. The results indicated that formula containing triethanolamine lauryl sulfate (TLE), ranging from 40-70% w/w, showed the most transparency and stable among the primary surfactants used, suggesting the good compatibility with MCO. An addition of polyoxyethylene 20 sorbitan monolaurate (PSL), an auxiliary surfactant, in the range from 5-40%w/w could enhance the clearness of shampoo while the suitable amount of PSL is also depended on TLE concentration. Various surfactant mixtures of TLE ranging from 40-60%w/w and 20-40% w/w of PSL were selected to formulate MCO shampoo. All formulations of shampoo showed high transparency, effective cleaning action, good stability and Newtonian flow behavior. Moreover, all formulations could inhibit T. rubrum and M. canis both before and after temperature cycling test. Therefore, this study revealed good feasibility of MCO shampoos for tinea capitis treatment.