Design and characterization of miconazole nitrate loaded nanosponges containing vaginal gels

Abstract

The objective of the present work is to prepare and evaluate vaginal gels incorporating nanosponges of Miconazole nitrate for systemic delivery of the drug after topical application. Hence efforts were made to prepare miconazole nitrate loaded nanosponges containing vaginal gels using polymers like hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), sodium carboxy methyl cellulose (NaCMC), methyl cellulose (MC) and carbopol.   The gel formulations were prepared  with  a  view  to  improve  permeability  of  drug.  The  prepared  gel  were  evaluated  for  P H,Viscosity, Spreadability,  Extrudability, Mucoadhesive time  and Invitro diffusion study. The gel formulations can be graded in the following order with respect to the rates of diffusion of drug from them: (HPMC) > (Carbopol) .>  (NaCMC) > (MC)  The correlation coefficient values (r) revealed that the diffusion profiles follows zero order kinetics and the mechanism of drug release was governed by peppas model. The diffusion exponent of release profiles (slope) has a value of (n>0.5), which indicates non fickian diffusion. It was found that the micanazole  nitrate loaded nanosponges containing  gels  prepared  with  hydroxy  propyl  methyl  cellulose  showed  good  extrudability,  homogeneity, spreadability   and   required diffusion rate in comparison with other formulations and was selected as suitable candidate to be delivered through vaginal route at controlled rate.