ABSTRACT

Itraconazole is an effective antifungal drug; however, its clinical use is limited due to poor aqueous solubility and low oral bioavailability. The present study was undertaken to develop a submicron emulsion system to improve the solubility, release behavior and antifungal efficacy of itraconazole. Submicron emulsions were prepared using Pluronic® F-127, soy lecithin and soybean oil and were evaluated for physicochemical properties, drug encapsulation, in vitro drug release, and antifungal activity against Candida albicans. The optimized formulation (F12) showed high encapsulation efficiency (95%), mean particle size of 253.6 nm, PDI of 0.29, and zeta potential of −31.2 mV, indicating good stability. Sustained drug release of 92.6% was observed over 24 h. The formulation exhibited enhanced antifungal activity compared to pure itraconazole. These findings suggest that the submicron emulsion is a promising lipidbased approach for improving the oral delivery and therapeutic efficacy of itraconazole.