Development and Evaluation of Topical Ethosomal Gel for Fungal Infections

Fungal infections are one of the most common dermatological issues worldwide. Candida species-caused fungal infections are frequent on the cutaneous surface. Eberconazole (EBZ) has the strongest antifungal action against Candida spp., the major source of fungal infections.

In the present study, the cold method followed by probe sonication was used to create EBZ-loaded ethosomal dispersion. The solubility of ethosomes in different lipids and surfactants was used to choose these components. Under magnetic stirring, the dispersion was absorbed into a carbopol 934 gel. In vitro antifungal activity was performed using the Agar well diffusion method, and their topical effectiveness against pathogenic Candida albicans was compared to that of a marketed formulation containing EBZ.

Eberconazol incorporated into gel displayed sustained release in an in vitro release assay. Based on the zone of inhibition diameters, EBZ formulation was determined to be efficient against C. albicans when compared to the commercialized cream and plain gel.

Based on these findings, the current study found that EBZ possesses significant antifungal efficacy against C. albicans.