Investigation of Luliconazole-Loaded Mucoadhesive Electrospun Nanofibers for Anticandidal Activity in the Management of Vaginal Candidiasis

[Image: see text] In this study, we fabricated and evaluated luliconazole-loaded electrospun nanofibers for anticandidal activity in the management of vaginal candidiasis. Polycaprolactone (PCL)/gelatin nanofibers were designed by the electrospinning technique, and the Box–Behnken design (BBD) was adopted for optimization to get tailored fibers. The luliconazole (LCZ) drug was mixed into different concentrations (2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10%) of tea tree oil (TT oil) and loaded into the PCL/gelatin nanofibrous mats. The effective anticandidal potential of nanofiber samples were analyzed by the disk-diffusion method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), XRD analysis, and in silico study were performed. The entrapment efficiency, swelling degree, mechanical strength, contact angle, mucoadhesion, drug release, and permeation study were assessed. The average diameter of the PCL/gelatin-optimized nanofiber was 153 nm. SEM reflected that the fabricated nanofibers were uniform and bead-free. FTIR and DSC analyzed the interaction and physical entrapment of the drug in the polymeric fibers. The entrapment efficiency of the drug-loaded nanofiber was found to be 89.2 ± 0.8%. Maximum swelling percentages at 4 h were 40.8, 18.9, and 14.0% and contact angles were 46.5°, 62.95°, and 65.78° for the blank, TT oil-loaded, and drug-loaded nanofiber, respectively, which indicated the hydrophilic nature of the fibers. The drug-loaded nanofiber had a high tensile strength with satisfactory mucoadhesive property that led to its adhesion to the vaginal mucosa with no tear. The drug-loaded nanofiber had a cumulative drug release of 67.7 ± 3.4% in 48 h, and the 12.8 ± 0.53 mm of zone of inhibition (ZOI) in 48 h illustrated an effective anticandidal activity. The TT oil-loaded nanofiber also exhibited a small ZOI of 4.3 ± 0.30 mm, indicating a synergistic effect to the antifungal activity of the drug-loaded nanofiber. LCZ-loaded nanofibers can emerge as a novel approach for vaginal drug delivery in the treatment of candida infection. Thus, this pharmaceutical investigation can help in formulating preclinical and clinical models.