AUTHOR=Maheen Safirah , Younis Hina , Khan Hafeez Ullah , Salman shafqat Syed , Ali Sajed , Rehman Atta Ur , Ilyas Saliha , Zafar Muhammad Nadeem , Shafqat Syed Rizwan , Kalam Abul , Al-Ghamdi Ahmed A. TITLE=Enhanced Antifungal and Wound Healing Efficacy of Statistically Optimized, Physicochemically Evaluated Econazole-Triamcinolone Loaded Silica Nanoparticles JOURNAL=Frontiers in Chemistry VOLUME=10 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/chemistry/articles/10.3389/fchem.2022.836678 DOI=10.3389/fchem.2022.836678 ISSN=2296-2646 ABSTRACT=
Co-encapsulated econazole nitrate-triamcinolone acetonide loaded biocompatible, physically stable, and non-irritating mesoporous silica nanoparticles (EN-TA–loaded MSNs) were prepared and optimized by using a central composite rotatable design (CCRD) for providing better therapeutic efficacy against commonly prevailed resistant fungal infections. These drugs loaded MSNs can significantly overcome the deficiencies and problems like short duration of action, requirement of frequent administration, erythema, and burning sensation and irritation associated with conventional drug delivery systems. The stability of optimized drugs loaded MSNs prepared with 100 gm of oil at pH 5.6 with a stirring time of 2 h was confirmed from a zeta potential value of −25 mV. The remarkable compatibility of formulation ingredients was depicted by X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and size analysis represented a very fine size distribution of nanoparticles ranging from 450–600 nm. The CCRD clearly predicted that the optimized parameters of drugs loaded MSNs have better values of percentage yield (85%), EN release (68%), and TA release (70%). Compared to pure drugs, the decreased cytotoxicity of EN-TA–loaded MSNs was quite evident because they showed a cell survival rate of 90%, while in the case of pure drugs, the survival rate was 85%. During