NANOEMULSION WITH CLOTRIMAZOLE - DESIGN AND OPTIMALIZATION OF MEAN DROPLET SIZE USING MICROFLUIDIZATION TECHNIQUE.

Poor water solubility of clotrimazole (CLO) hinders development of the effective pharmaceutical dosage forms. Many different concepts and approaches, including lipid based formulations, have been undertaken to improve delivery of CLO. The purpose of this study was to design the composition of nanoemulsion with CLO for topical use, which could be processed by microfluidization method. Based on the solubility study and the results obtained from the pseudotemary phase diagrams, the optimal compositions of nanoemulsions with CLO were selected (Capryol 90/Tween 80 and oleic acid/Tween 80). The coarse emulsions were prepared by using high shear mixer and then processing by microfluidization technique. It was shown that formulation containing oleic acid and Tween 80, because of gelling properties, was not suitable for microfluidization. The stable nanoemulsion was obtained by mixing Capryol 90 as oil phase and Tween 80 as surfactant. The mean diameter of the droplets of nanoemulsion with CLO was 45.7 nm, polydispersity index was 0.27 and zeta potential -40.3 mV. The mean droplet size,of CLO nanoemulsion was significantly decreased with the increment of microfluidization passes (from 75.4 ± 3.2 nm to 63.2 ± 3.4 nm, and to 45.7 ± UR 2.8 nm after 5 and 10 passes.