Effect of edge actuators on the formulation and characterization of tolnaftate proniosomes

Abstract

This article is to investigate the effectiveness of formulating proniosomes as the transdermal drug delivery system for tolnaftate. Proniosomes are the dry formula tions of water soluble carrier particles coated with surfactant and rehydrated to form niosomal dispersions exhibiting therapeutic response. Topically proniosomes increase the duration of action when applied thereby reducing the systemic absorption of drug. Tolnaftate is an antifungal agent used for topical fungal diseases. Different formulations of Tolnaftate proniosomes (F1 -F12) were prepared by slurry method with varying amounts of surfactant, cholesterol and mannitol and were evaluated for parameters li ke solubility, melting point, particle size, drug entrapment and in vitro drug release. All the formulations showed high solubility but the maximum solubility and  in vitro drug release (in pH 7.4) was exhibited by F4 formulation with drug and span 60 as   an edge actuator. The best fit model indicating mechanism of dissolution from the formulation showing the highest release was found to be Higuchi matrix release. It revealed that the release mechanism from the formulation could be diffusion. The present study confers that Tolnaftate Proniosomes are suitable for the transdermal drug delivery and can be formulated with span-60 as an edge actuator for exhibiting maximum drug release.