International Journal of Science, Engineering and TechnologyAuthors: Assistance Professor Ms. Smita Mane, Mr. Saad Yusuf Shaikh, Ms. Renuka Ananda Waghmode, Dr. Vijaykumar Kale, Dr. Mahesh Thakare
Abstract: Paronychia is a highly prevalent, painful inflammatory infection involving the lateral and proximal nail folds of fingers and toes, frequently caused by bacterial pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus or opportunistic fungi such as Candida albicans.17 Conventional treatment strategies predominantly include systemic antibiotics, oral antifungals, or topical creams.6 However, oral medications are often associated with systemic side effects, drug-drug interactions, and hepatic stress, while conventional topical creams are easily washed or rubbed off, leading to poor localized drug bioavailability through the highly keratinized nail plate.6 This study focuses on the design, formulation, and evaluation of a therapeutic, herbal nail lacquer to establish a sustained-release, non-invasive transungual drug delivery system for paronychia.3 An herbal active blend containing clove extract, neem extract, tea tree oil, and aloe vera gel was selected to provide synergistic antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing properties directly at the infection site.7 The lacquer base was optimized utilizing nitrocellulose as the primary film-former, ethyl acetate and butyl acetate as the volatile solvent system, dibutyl phthalate and camphor as plasticizers, and isopropyl alcohol as a co-solvent.11 Four trial batches (F1 to F4) were developed with varying concentrations of polymers and active herbal extracts.5 The developed formulations were systematically evaluated for key physicochemical parameters, including drying time, viscosity, non-volatile content, water resistance, film smoothness, gloss, pH, and stability, alongside in vitro antimicrobial efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans.5 The optimized formulation, batch F3, formed a smooth, glossy, and uniform film with an acceptable drying time of 75 seconds pH of 6.3 and a non-volatile content of 21.5%.14 F3 demonstrated excellent water resistance and a viscosity of 142 cp , ensuring ideal brushability and adherence.14 Furthermore, microbiological assays of F3 revealed a substantial zone of inhibition against both S. aureus (22mm) and C. albicans (24mm), which was highly comparable to commercial synthetic formulations.5 Accelerated stability studies confirmed the integrity of the formulation over 30 days under standard ICH storage conditions.3 These findings indicate that the developed polyherbal nail lacquer is a promising, safe, and cosmetically acceptable transungual delivery platform for managing paronychia.24
