Loading and release of active agent in bacterial nanocellulose membrane for topical infections treatment

• Grant number: 18/07549-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2018
• End date: November 29, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy
• Principal Investigator: Priscila Gava Mazzola
• Grantee: Luiz Phellipe Pozzuto Borelli
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCF). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 18/20757-2 - Hydrogel liquid bandages, BE.EP.IC

Abstract

Topical use is the main route chosen to treat superficial mycosis. This route has advantages compared to oral treatment as there is no first-pass metabolism, drug interactions and also no need for laboratorial monitoring during treatment. However, the topical route still presents difficulties related to treatment adherence because in most occasions these are long and inconvenient, therefore this study aims to speed up the treatment through the elaboration of a formulation that allows less numbers of applications and greater efficacy. Bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) has promising characteristics for its use as a medical device as it presents exceptional surface physical and chemical properties given its nanofiber formation and its purity related to the material extracted from plants, in addition to excellent biological properties (biocompatibility, biodegradability and low toxicity), being associated to active components for increased treatment effectiveness. Terbinafine is one of the chosen antifungal agents to treat topical infections by fungus. This project aims to analyze the association of Terbinafine and NCB, evaluating drug loading and releasing. (AU)