Abstract
Fungal infections of the skin, nails, and hair are a common health concern affecting a significant proportion of the population worldwide. The current treatment options include topical and systematic agents which have low permeability and prolonged treatment period, respectively. Consequently, there is a growing need for a permeable, effective, and safe treatment. Keratin nanoparticles are a promising nanoformulation that can improve antifungal agent penetration, providing sustainable targeted drug delivery. In this study, keratin nanoparticles were prepared using a custom-made 3D-printed microfluidic chip and the manufacturing process was optimized using the design of experiments (DoE) approach. The total flow rate (TFR), flow rate ratio (FRR), and keratin concentration were found to be the most influential factors of the size and polydispersity index (PDI) of the nanoparticles. The crosslinking procedure by means of tannic acid as safe and biocompatible compound was also optimized. Keratin nanoparticles loaded with a different amount of tioconazole showed a size lower than 200 nm, a PDI lower than 0.2 and an encapsulation efficiency of 91 ± 1.9 %. Due to their sustained drug release, the formulations showed acceptable in vitro biocompatibility. Furthermore, a significant inhibitory effect compared to the free drug against Microsporum canis.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
