Development and Evaluation of Antifungal Activity of Carbopol and Neem Seed Oil-Based Organogels

Introduction: The present study focused on the formulation of a Sertaconazole Nitrate (SN) organogel with neem seed oil through microwave irradiation, optimizing the formulation by Box-Behnken Design (BBD) and Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The research explored the effect of Neem Seed Oil (NSO), Carbopol-934 (CP), and Polyethylene glycol-400 (PEG) on viscosity (VS), spreadability (SP), and drug content (DC). Methods: A 15-run BBD was utilized to investigate the impact of the independent variables. The organogels obtained were analyzed for viscosity, spreadability, and drug content. The optimized formulation was also characterized for homogeneity, pH, swelling index, extrudability, drugexcipient compatibility, moisture content, and gel-sol transition temperature (GSTT). In-vitro and ex vivo release studies and antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Trichophyton rubrum were also carried out. Results: The measured viscosity (0.40±11 Pa.s), spreadability (14.98 ± 74 gm.cm/sec), and drug content (97.11 ± 27 %) of the optimized formulation were very close to the calculated values. The optimized organogel had a skin-compatible pH (6-7), high in-vitro (98.55±0.32%) and exvivo (88.95 ± 1.55 %) drug release, and a wider zone of inhibition (22 mm) against Candida albicans and Trichophyton rubrum than a commercial product. Discussion: The microwave-irradiation-synthesized BBD-optimized SN organogel with neem oil showed excellent drug release (>98%), skin-friendly pH, and improved antifungal activity (22 mm inhibition) compared to commercial preparations in line with green pharmaceutical trends. The scalability of microwave procedures, stability over extended periods, and sparse excipient screening require investigation to extend laboratory success to clinical application. Conclusion: The research was able to successfully develop and optimize a Sertaconazole Nitrate organogel through a microwave-assisted process with a natural oil. The optimized formulation was found to have good physicochemical parameters, drug release behavior, skin compatibility, and improved antifungal activity, which implies its suitability for effective topical drug delivery.