Formulation and Evaluation of a Flutrimazole-Loaded Microemulsion for Enhanced Topical Delivery and Antifungal Efficacy

The broad-spectrum imidazole antifungal medication flutrimazole has poor water solubility and limited bioavailability, which restricts its therapeutic potential when administered topically. This research goal is to formulate and investigate a stable microemulsion-based delivery system to increase the solubility, antifungal activity, and permeability of flutrimazole. Rose essential oil plays a role as the oil phase, and Tween 20 serves as the primary surfactant. A series of six microemulsion formulations (ME1–ME6) was prepared and characterized using pseudoternary phase diagrams. Optimized formulations were evaluated for physicochemical parameters, including pH, droplet size, polydispersity index (PDI), and electrical conductivity. The optimised formulation’s mean droplet size was found to be less than 100 nm, and its favourable PDI indicated nano-range homogeneity. In vitro drug release and antifungal efficacy were significantly increased in the microemulsion contrast to the pure drug. Franz diffusion studies revealed enhanced permeation across simulated membranes, and zone of inhibition (ZOI) testing confirmed superior antifungal performance against Candida albicans. The formulation remained stable under centrifugation, freeze-thaw, and heating–cooling cycles. These findings suggest that flutrimazole-loaded microemulsions provide a promising platform for topical antifungal therapy with improved efficacy and stability.