Scholarlink

Purpose of Review <p>Fungal infections represent a significant global health challenge, encompassing highly prevalent superficial mycoses and increasingly frequent invasive fungal diseases associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Conventional antifungal therapies are often limited by poor skin and nail penetration, suboptimal bioavailability, systemic toxicity, and the emergence of antifungal resistance, resulting in prolonged treatment regimens and high recurrence rates.</p> Recent Findings <p>Ethosomal drug delivery systems, composed of phospholipids and high ethanol content, have emerged as advanced vesicular carriers capable of overcoming these limitations through enhanced membrane fluidization, vesicle deformability, and efficient transdermal and mucosal penetration. This review critically examines the concept, composition, and penetration mechanisms of ethosomes with a focused emphasis on antifungal drug delivery. Reported ethosomal formulations of azoles, polyenes, allylamines, echinocandins, and herbal antifungals are systematically analyzed with respect to physicochemical properties, skin and nail permeation, antifungal efficacy, and safety outcomes. Quantitative evidence from in vitro, ex vivo, in vivo, and emerging clinical studies demonstrates superior drug deposition, faster fungal clearance, reduced systemic toxicity, and improved patient compliance compared to conventional and other vesicular systems.</p> Summary <p>Overall, ethosomal drug delivery represents a promising and clinically relevant approach for improving the management of both superficial and systemic fungal infections. However, further large-scale clinical studies and regulatory standardization are required for successful clinical translation. Clinically, ethosomes should therefore be interpreted as an indication-specific enabling platform rather than an immediate replacement for effective standard antifungal therapy, because routine superficial infections are often controlled with existing topical or oral agents and the therapeutic landscape is evolving through recently approved or late-stage antifungal compounds and adjunctive immunotherapeutic approaches.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Ethosomal Drug Delivery Systems for Superficial and Systemic Fungal Infections: Formulation Strategies, Mechanistic Insights, and Translational Advances

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月4日

查看全文
  • Nandni,
  • Dilpreet Singh

摘要

Purpose of Review

Fungal infections represent a significant global health challenge, encompassing highly prevalent superficial mycoses and increasingly frequent invasive fungal diseases associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. Conventional antifungal therapies are often limited by poor skin and nail penetration, suboptimal bioavailability, systemic toxicity, and the emergence of antifungal resistance, resulting in prolonged treatment regimens and high recurrence rates.

Recent Findings

Ethosomal drug delivery systems, composed of phospholipids and high ethanol content, have emerged as advanced vesicular carriers capable of overcoming these limitations through enhanced membrane fluidization, vesicle deformability, and efficient transdermal and mucosal penetration. This review critically examines the concept, composition, and penetration mechanisms of ethosomes with a focused emphasis on antifungal drug delivery. Reported ethosomal formulations of azoles, polyenes, allylamines, echinocandins, and herbal antifungals are systematically analyzed with respect to physicochemical properties, skin and nail permeation, antifungal efficacy, and safety outcomes. Quantitative evidence from in vitro, ex vivo, in vivo, and emerging clinical studies demonstrates superior drug deposition, faster fungal clearance, reduced systemic toxicity, and improved patient compliance compared to conventional and other vesicular systems.

Summary

Overall, ethosomal drug delivery represents a promising and clinically relevant approach for improving the management of both superficial and systemic fungal infections. However, further large-scale clinical studies and regulatory standardization are required for successful clinical translation. Clinically, ethosomes should therefore be interpreted as an indication-specific enabling platform rather than an immediate replacement for effective standard antifungal therapy, because routine superficial infections are often controlled with existing topical or oral agents and the therapeutic landscape is evolving through recently approved or late-stage antifungal compounds and adjunctive immunotherapeutic approaches.