Clotrimazole (CZ)-loaded microemulsion-containing nanofiber
mats were developed as an alternative for
oral candidiasis applications. The microemulsion was composed of
oleic acid (O),
Tween 80 (T80), and a co-
surfactant such as
benzyl alcohol (BzOH),
ethyl alcohol (EtOH) or
isopropyl alcohol (IPA). The nanofiber
mats were obtained by electrospinning a blended
solution of a CZ-loaded microemulsion and a mixed
polymer solution of 2% (w/v)
chitosan (CS) and 10% (w/v)
polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) at a weight ratio of 30:70. The nanofiber
mats were characterized using various analytical techniques. The entrapment efficiency, drug release, antifungal activity and cytotoxicity were investigated. The average diameter of the nanofiber
mats was in the range of 105.91-125.56 nm. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and
powder X-ray diffractometry (PXRD) results revealed the amorphous state of the CZ-loaded microemulsions incorporated into the nanofiber
mats. The entrapment efficiency of CZ in the
mats was approximately 72.58-98.10%, depended on the microemulsion formulation. The release experiment demonstrated different CZ release characteristics from nanofiber
mats prepared using different CZ-loaded microemulsions. The extent of drug release from the fiber
mats at 4h was approximately 64.81-74.15%. The release kinetics appeared to follow Higuchi's model. In comparison with CZ lozenges (10mg), the nanofiber
mats exhibited more rapid killing activity. Moreover, the nanofiber
mats demonstrated desirable mucoadhesive properties and were safe for 2h. Therefore, the nanofiber
mats have the potential to be promising candidates for
oral candidiasis applications.