PREPARATION AND COMPREHENSIVE CHARACTERIZATION OF AMPHOTERICIN B-LOADED INVASOME-BASED GEL

Abstract

Amphotericin B is a potent broad-spectrum antifungal agent; however, its topical application is limited by poor skin penetration and formulation-related instability. The present study aimed to develop, optimize, and comprehensively characterize an Amphotericin B–loaded invasome-based gel for enhanced topical antifungal delivery. Amphotericin B–loaded invasomes were prepared using the thin film hydration technique and optimized by Design of Experiments (DoE) by evaluating the influence of formulation variables on vesicle size, entrapment efficiency, and stability. The optimized invasomal formulation was incorporated into a Carbopol 934 gel base to obtain a topical invasome-loaded gel. The prepared gels were evaluated for physicochemical properties including appearance, pH, homogeneity, spreadability, viscosity, drug content, in-vitro drug release, antifungal activity, skin irritation, and stability. The optimized gel formulation exhibited suitable pH for topical application, good spreadability, uniform drug content, sustained drug release, and significant antifungal activity against Candida albicans, comparable to the standard drug. Stability studies indicated no significant changes in formulation characteristics during the study period. The findings suggest that Amphotericin B–loaded invasome-based gel is a promising and safe topical delivery system that may enhance antifungal efficacy and patient compliance.

Keywords
 Amphotericin B, Invasomes, Topical drug delivery, Antifungal gel, Design of Experiments (DoE), Carbopol gel.