Dineshkumar B

Anti-fungal agents like flucanazole, itraconazole, ketoconazole, clotrimazole etc. are used to treat various superficial and systemic fungal infections. Oral and parenteral administration of the antifungal drugs are associated with various side effects including headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, gastric ulceration and bleeding. Hepatic and renal toxicity was also observed in patients on high and prolonged use of drugs. Film forming hydrogels are the dosage form for the topical delivery of drugs and it can bypass the side effects related to the conventional dosage forms and can provide effective topical release of the drugs. These film forming gels are novel approach for providing sustained release with increased residence time, therapeutic effect and patient comfort.

In this present work quercetin nanosuspension (QNS) has been formulated and investigated its anti-tumor activity against Dalton’s lymphoma cells (DLA) in an in vitro model.  Since quercetin is insoluble in water, it has been formulated into nanosuspension in order to improve the solubility as well as dissolution rate of the drug. Quercetin nanosuspension (QNS) was formulated using homogenization method followed by lyophilization process. The QNS was subjected to particle size, zeta-potential, FTIR, solubility study, in-vitro dissolution study and stability study. Further QNS was subjected to anti-oxidant study and anti-tumor study using Dalton’s lymphoma cells. The results showed that Particle size of the QNS was found to be within the range of ~160-200nm. The zeta potential values of QNS were obtained as (3.69mV). Solubility of QNS was found to be 15.41±0.6683µg/ml. QNS could increase the dissolution rate as well as the saturation solubility. QNS showed significant antioxidant activity compared with that of standard ascorbic acid. QNS exhibited dose-dependent anti-tumor activity with DLA cells. This study concluded that formulated QNS exhibited potent antioxidant activity as well as anti-tumor activity.