Carvacrol-Loaded Nanoemulgel for Improved Antifungal Effect

Introduction: Fungal infections of the skin, hair, and nails affect a significant portion of the global population, with dermatophyte infections being particularly common. Topical and oral antifungal medications often face challenges in efficacy and side effects. Carvacrol (CRV), a natural fungicidal agent, has shown promise in treating fungal infections but is limited by poor skin penetration. Aim: This study aims to develop a novel CRV-loaded nanoemulgel formulation to enhance antifungal effect. Methods: A CRV-loaded nanoemulsion was created using a combination of CRV, paraffin oil, surfactant (tween 80) and co-surfactant (span 80) to stabilize nanosized oil droplets. Processing parameters effect on the nanoemulsion particle size and distribution were investigated. Various concentrations of surfactants and HLB values were tested to determine the optimal nanoemulsion formulation. The antifungal effect of the optimal CRV-loaded nanoemulsion and nanoemulgel formulations against Candida albicans was evaluated in vitro using microdilution and well diffusion methods. Results: The optimal particle size of 303.2 nm was achieved with a homogenization time of 3 minutes and sonication at 20% power for 3 minutes. A surfactant concentration of 12% and HLB value of 10.5 produced a homogeneous mixture. The CRV-loaded nanoemulgel exhibited non-Newtonian shear-thinning behaviour. The MIC of the CRV solution and nanoemulsion against Candida albicans were 0.25 and 0.1 mg/ml, respectively. The CRV-loaded nanoemulsion and nanoemulgel demonstrated the highest zones of inhibition against Candida albicans (12 and 9.5 mm, respectively), outperforming the CRV solution and the reference drug, clotrimazole (1.5 and 7.5 mm, respectively). Conclusion: The developed CRV-loaded nanoemulgel showed enhanced antifungal activity, thus offering a promising alternative for the treatment of fungal infections. This formulation has the potential to improve the treatment outcomes and reduce the side effects associated with conventional antifungal medications. Further studies in-vivo are warranted to optimize the formulation for clinical use.