Formulation Perspectives in Topical Antifungal Drug Therapy: A Review

Abstract

Topical medication delivery is the process of directly treating a cutaneous ailment or the cutaneous manifestation of a general disease by applying a pharmaceutical dosage form to the skin with the goal of reducing the drug's pharmacological or other effects to the surface of skin. A wide range of pharmacological dosage forms, such as semisolids, liquid preparations, sprays, solid powders, gels, creams, and ointments, are used in topical drug delivery systems. A gel is a cross-linked polymer network swollen in a liquid medium. Its properties depend strongly on the interaction between solid state polymer and the liquid component. Gels don't have a flow that is steady. An interlacing three-dimensional network of dispersed phase particles is created by the interaction of the polymer and the liquid dispersion medium. Because topical gel formulations are less oily and readily removed from the skin, they provide an effective medication delivery mechanism. Compared to cream and ointments, gel composition offers greater application properties and stability. One of the most frequent issues with dermatological problems is fungal infection of the skin. The most effective option for treating cutaneous infections is topical treatment. The most popular antifungals in the treatment of both local and systemic fungal infections are azoles. The benefits of topical treatment for fungal infections include less risk of systemic adverse effects and medications that are targeted to the infection site. Important actions for boosting treatment effectiveness include formulation design and optimization. The most helpful aspects of a topical medication delivery system are the medication's physiochemical characteristics and formulation type. As a result, some recent developments in formulation have been researched for the delivery of antifungal medications via the target region of the skin. This review focuses on the research that has been done so far on antifungal gel and a thorough analysis of it.
 Keywords: Topical gel, Antifungal, Drug delivery, dispersion medium, fungal infection, adverse effects