ABSTRACT

Background: Candida albicans is the most commonly detected yeast in patient samples. Vaginal thrush, or vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), results from the excessive growth of C. albicans in the vagina. The formation of C. albicans biofilms presents a significant challenge in treating candidiasis due to their resistance to conventional antifungal drugs. Research indicates that Fluconazole (FCZ) resistant C. albicans requires novel treatments, either as standalone therapies or in combination with FCZ. FCZ and Quercetin (QCT) may work synergistically to effectively treat resistant C. albicans infections. This study addressed the issue by developing mucoadhesive in-situ vaginal gel formulations containing both fluconazole (FCZ) and quercetin (QCT), aimed at the treatment of resistant strains of Candida albicans. The mucoadhesive vaginal gel formulation was developed and optimized using 32 Full Factorial Design (FFD) with reference to optimization of mucoadhesive and thermosensitive polymers. The optimized batch consists of a thermosensitive polymer composed of PLX188 (10%w/w) and PLX407 (25.51%w/w), as well as mucoadhesive polymers, namely HPMCK4M (0.82%w/w). The formulation has an appropriate viscosity and gel strength, making it ideal for the desired phase transitiontemperature. The optimized formulation exhibited a gelation temperature of 32.83 oC, a rapid gelation time of 24 seconds, and a bioadhesive strength of 84.85 Kg.m/S2. The results also showed that the FCZ had a medication release rate of 98.61% within 60 minutes, whereas the QCT had a drug release rate of 92.03% within 180 minutes in the optimized batch. The drug release kinetics results indicated that FCZ followed zero-order kinetics, whereas QCT exhibited first-order kinetic release from the optimized mucoadhesive vaginal gel formulation. The developed mucoadhesive vaginal formulation provide synergistic effect against Itraconazole resistant Candida albicans. The mucoadhesive in-situ vaginal gel outperforms oral dosage forms with lower dosage requirements, enhanced bioavailability of quercetin, and targeted effectiveness against drug-resistant Candida albicans. It also improves patient adherence and remains effective when fluconazole alone is ineffective. Keywords: Fluconazole (FCZ), Quercetin (QCT), Mucoadhesive vaginal gel, 32 Full Factorial Design (FFD), Antifungal activity
Publication date: 01/02/2026

https://ijbpas.com/pdf/2026/February/MS_IJBPAS_2026_9868.pdf

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https://doi.org/10.31032/IJBPAS/2026/15.2.9868