Chitosan/Clotrimazole microcapsules for Tinea pedis treatment: in-vitro antifungal and cytotoxicity study

To derive a form of treatment for Tinea pedis (also known as athlete’s foot), an attempt has been made to synthesize chitosan microcapsules that contain an antifungal agent using a coacervation technique. The antifungal agent, namely, clotrimazole, is encapsulated in different amounts: 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg. Optical and scanning electron microscopies demonstrate that the newly developed microcapsules have spherical core–shell forms with smooth surfaces and the particle sizes range from 2 to 10 μm. It is observed that chitosan microcapsules with a drug input of 25 mg clotrimazole show the highest encapsulation efficiency when compared with microcapsules that have 50, 75, and 100 mg of drug input. An analysis of the in vitro antifungal activity confirms that the chitosan/clotrimazole microcapsules show obvious inhibition of Trichophyton rubrum growth. The cytotoxicity results show that the newly developed microcapsules are non-cytotoxic to skin cell lines. The prepared drug-loaded microcapsules could be applied onto bandages or socks, and will continuously release antifungal drugs in a controlled manner under pressure.