Abstract

EVALUATION OF LULICONAZOLE-LOADED TRANSETHOSOMAL GEL FOR ENHANCED ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY AGAINST CANDIDA ALBICANS AND ASPERGILLUS NIGER: A COMPARATIVE STUDY WITH COMMERCIAL FORMULATION

Deepika Pandit* and Kamal Singh Rathore

ABSTRACT

Fungal infections caused by Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger are common in clinical settings, especially among immunocompromised patients. Treatment options for these infections are often limited by issues such as poor skin penetration and the need for extended therapies. This study evaluated the antifungal effectiveness of a luliconazole-loaded transethosomal gel and compared it with the commercially available Lulimac® formulation against Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. The results, based on the agar well diffusion method, showed that the transethosomal gel formulation produced significantly larger zones of inhibition for both fungal strains, indicating improved antifungal activity. These findings suggest that the transethosomal delivery system enhances thepenetration of luliconazole into fungal membranes, making it a promising choice for topical antifungal treatment.

Keywords: Transethosomal gel, Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, antifungal, luliconazole.