FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF CLOTRIMAZOLE INSITU GELLING SYSTEM BY USING DIFFERENT POLYMERS

Dr. Pidugu Jyothi*, P. Nikhitha, S. K. Firdous, S. Naga Jyothi, S. Ayesha Tasleem, S. Ali Furkhan

Poor vaginal residence time and rapid leakage of conventional vaginal formulations often lead to reduced therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis. To overcome these limitations, in situ gelling drug delivery systems have been developed to enhance drug retention and provide sustained drug release at the site of action. The present study aimed to formulate and evaluate an in situ vaginal gel of clotrimazole using different polymers. Sodium alginate was employed as the primary gelling polymer due to its ability to form gels in the presence of divalent cations present in vaginal fluid. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose was incorporated as a viscosity enhancing and mucoadhesive agent to improve retention time. The prepared formulations were evaluated for parameters such as pH, viscosity, drug content, gelation capacity, and in vitro drug release. Among the formulations tested, formulation F4 showed optimal characteristics with appropriate viscosity, good gelation ability, and sustained drug release of approximately 74.63% over 8 hours. Stability studies indicated that the formulation remained stable under different storage conditions. The developed clotrimazole in situ gel demonstrated prolonged drug release and improved therapeutic potential for the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis.