Design and Development of Sertaconazole Nitrate Loaded Silver Nanoparticulate Mucoadhesive Tablets for the Treatment of Vaginal Candidiasis

Vaginal candidiasis, a fungal infection estimates that 75 % of women will be suffering at least once during their lifetime. The disorders of this infection might be premature birth, pelvic inflammation, abortion, the transmission of sexual disorders, etc. In the present research, mucoadhesive vaginal tablets containing sertaconazole nitrate-loaded silver nanoparticles formulations were developed which increases the proximity period of the medicine with the vaginal mucosa, showing sustained drug release. The drug-loaded silver nanoparticle was synthesized by the chemical reduction method. There was successful conjugation of sertaconazole nitrate with silver nanoparticles (Ser-AgNP1) therefore, the drug’s solubility is increased by 2.51 folds. The confirmation of silver nanoparticles was accessed by UV-visible spectroscopy. The mucoadhesive vaginal tablets were formulated and evaluated for swelling index, mucoadhesive force, residence time, In vitro dissolution and release kinetics, stability, and antifungal study. Optimized batch F8 was selected based on optimum mucoadhesive force (2.59±0.25N), % swelling index (86.50±0.11%), and sustained drug release (95.63±0.16%) up to 12 hr and showed greater antifungal activity. Overall study reveals that a prepared novel formulation, a mucoadhesive vaginal tablet containing sertaconazole nitrate loaded silver nanoparticles prevail over sertaconazole nitrate poor solubility and delivered drug during an extended period of time and also improved antifungal activity against Candida albicans.