Formulation and Evaluation of Metronidazole Loaded Nanosponges for Topical Delivery

Abstract

Formulations of metronidazole M1, M2, M3, M4, and M5 with the polymer ethyl cellulose and M1*, M2*, M3*, M4* and M5* with the polymer Eudragit RS100 at varying concentrations were prepared and characterized by Zeta sizer, SEM, DSC, FTIR and XRD. The gel was evaluated for its spreadability, skin irritancy, entrapment efficiency and drug release. Size in M5* was 292.2 nm with PDI of 1.00 and in M2, 371.8 nm with PDI of 0.809 was observed. The entrapment efficiency and production yield with M5* was observed to be 68.40 % and 66.9 % respectively. While the EE and PY with M2 were 66.70 % and 58 % respectively. FTIR did not reveal any incompatibility between the polymer and the drugs and by SEM results, the shape of nanosponges appeared to be spherical and porous. 10% of the drug was released from nanosponges in I^st hour and almost 70 % in 8 hours.