Abstract
The goal of this work is to develop polymeric based dermal patches loaded with fluconazole using ethyl cellulose as the base polymer for batch formation. Solvent Casting technique was used to develop medicated batches. The drug polymer interaction was investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for fluconazole-loaded dermal patches, their matching physical mixtures and the individual ingredients. The drug interaction study indicated that fluconazole was molecularly dispersed in ethyl cellulose matrix. The characterization of the prepared batches included weight, surface pH, percentage of elongation, tensile strength, content uniformity and dissolution behavior. The results showed that drug-loaded patches were smooth, elegant, flexible, homogenous and transparent and achieved the controlled release behavior.