: Medicinal nail lacquers are the most effective topical treatment of nail diseases. These formulations generally are organic solutions of the active substance as well as film-forming polymer and plasticizer, which affects the characteristics of the film formed after application and solvent evaporation. The aim of this work was to test the effects of plasticizer present in nail lacquer formulations on permeation kinetics of fluconazole through the bovine hoof membrane in a novel in vitro test. The formulations contained Eudragit RS100 dis- solved in acetone, and dibutyl-phthalate, PEG 400 or propylene glycol as plasticizers present in two different concentrations. Permeation studies were carried out during the 7-day period, and the obtained permeability pro- files analyzed using similarity and difference factors, and by model-dependent permeation kinetics. When analyzed within the same strength, the highest extent of fluconazole permeation was obtained from the formula- tion with a lower concentration of propylene glycol at 0.9% fluconazole concentration, while for formulations with 1.8% and 2.7% of fluconazole, the highest permeation was achieved from the formulation with the high- er content of PEG400. The permeation profiles showed a greater difference within one formulation of different fluconazole content than with the same plasticizer present in different concentrations, when using dibutyl- phthalate and PEG400. The permeation profiles were similar when using propylene glycol. When comparing formulations with the same concentrations of plasticizers, there were differences in formulations with the high- er fluconazole concentrations. Permeation kinetics depended on fluconazole concentration as well as the path length the active substance had to pass to reach the receptor solution.

The solubility enhancement of diazepam and nitrazepam in water was analyzed depending on temperature and amount of α-cyclodextrin ( α-CD), β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (2-HP-β-CD). The interactions of drug-cyclodextrin in solution were investigated by the phase-solubility analysis. Diazepam (nitrazepam) content in aqueous complexation medium was analyzed UV spectrophotometrically. Classical solubility data were used to derive apparent stability constants (K1:1) which were used to derive thermodynamic parameters for the diazepam (nitrazepam)-cyclodextrin complexes. Since all phase solubility plots were of AL–types, and calculated Slopes after linear regression analysis were found to be less than 1, it could be assumed that stoichiometry of the formed binary systems was 1:1. According to the calculated K1:1 values, the stability of the complexes of diazepam and nitrazepam with a-CD, β-CD and 2-HP-β-CD varies as follows: 2-HP-β-CD > β-CD > β-CD. The a-CD has higher affinity for dissolving nitrazepam compared to diazepam. While all parameters lead to an improvement in solubility, the largest effect was obtained for guest-host complexation with 2-HP-β-CD. The solubility of diazepam and nitrazepam in water increased 93.02 times and 64.23 times, respectively, in the presence of 40% (w/w) 2-HP-β-CD, at 25°C. Solubility data for diazepam and nitrazepam in aqueous 2-HP-b-CD were used to derive thermodynamic parameters, ΔG° at 298 K = –14.43 kJ·mol–1, ΔH° = 0.79 kJ·mol–1, ΔS° at 298 K = 51.17 J·mol–1·K–1 and ΔG° at 298 K = –13.43 kJ·mol–1, ΔH° = 2.38 kJ·mol–1, ΔS° at 298 K = 53.01 J·mol–1·K–1, respectively. Formation of inclusion complexes substantially increases the water solubility of diazepam and nitrazepam. Diazepam and nitrazepam dissolution thermodynamics in aqueous 2-HP-β-CD were characterized by spontaneous and endothermic dissolution and hydrophobic interactions.

Nail lacquers represent new drug form specifically designed to treat infected nail plate. They are complex organic solutions with specific assaying problems due to the high content of the polymer and plasticizer. Furthermore, there is a lack of assaying methods of active substances from this type of formulations in scientific literature. We developed derivative UV-spectrophotometric method for determination of fluconazole content in antifungal nail lacquer formulations. The method was validated for specificity, linearity, precision (repeatability), intermediate precision and accuracy (recovery). The method is specific, linear in the range of 99.53 - 497.65 μg/ml, precise and showed good recovery (98.79% - 101.77% from all six developed formulations). Besides, it is inexpensive, simple and nontoxic, i.e. ecologically acceptable. This method can be used for assaying fluconazole from this type of formulations.