P030 Highly slow-release antifungal wound dressing for chronic dermatophytosis

POSTER SESSION 1, SEPTEMBER 21, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM: OBJECTIVES: The aim of this research was to make a biocompatible and affordable nanofibrous wound dressing that is able to release terbinafine at the site of chronic superficial fungal infection over time. METHODS: Polymer solution (10%) of poly (caprolactone) (PCL) was prepared in hexafluoroisopropanol (HFIP). Terbinafine hydrochloride (TFH) was added equal to 5% of PCL weight for drug-loaded samples. Electrospinning was performed with a 27-G-needle equipped syringe at a distance of 15 cm which the injection flow rate of the solution was 0.2 ml/h and a 30 kV voltage was applied. The measurements of drug release were performed with HPLC. Antifungal tests were done on three different fungal species and MTT assay was done based on ISO-10993 on 24 h L929 cells. The drug release was monitored for 144 h in a human body simulated system (incubation at 37°C, shaking by 30 rpm, and passing the drug through a wet Whatman filter into PBS). ∷Ξ RESULTS: The mean diameter of fibers was obtained at 1262 nm for PCL nanofibers without TFH and 249 nm for PCL nanofibers with TFH. The drug loading for PCL was 83.4%. Antifungal activity of PCL fibers was examined against a dermatophyte (Trichophyton mentagrophytes), a saprophyte (Aspergillus fumigatus), and a yeast (Candida albicans). The terbinafine hydrochloride-contained electrospun PCL fibers inhibited the growth of T. Mentagrophytes and A. Fumigatus but did not inhibit C. albicans growth. None of the samples showed cytotoxic effects after 24 h and 2 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The diameter of PCL nanofibers with TFH apparently decreased by fives times (P >.05). PCL nanofibers successfully inhibited two important fungal species while no toxicity was observed in MTT assay for its extraction of 2 weeks. They were able to release TFH slowly over time which makes them suitable for the treatment of chronic superficial fungal infections.