The topical administration of antifungal agents like itraconazole (ITZ) has provided good grounds for expecting effective antifungal medications. However, if topical delivery of this poorly water-soluble and high-molecular-weight drug does not comply, an adequate vehicle might be necessary. 

The study created ITZ aspasomes, a newer antioxidant generation of liposomes, cream to soothe skin deposition. The creams contained nonformulated ITZ or were encapsulated in aspasomes (0.1% or 0.5%). They were topically applied in patients with diagnosed diaper dermatitis complicated by candidiasis, tinea corporis (TC) and tinea versicolor (TVC). 

The study observed:

• Aspasomal cream (0.5% ITZ) showed complete cure and negative candida culture after 10-day therapy relative to counterparts containing 0.1% ITZ aspasomes or non-formulated ITZ (0.1% and 0.5%). 
• The same trend was for tinea, in terms of cleared clinical response in 90% of patients and absence of fungal elements after 4-week treatment.
• Opposing nonformulated ITZ, ITZ aspasomal cream proved beneficial, especially when ITZ concentration was reduced to half the commercially available cream concentration (1%), enabling further application in other fungal infections of the skin.

Source: Lamie C, Elmowafy E, Ragaie MH, et al. Assessment of antifungal efficacy of itraconazole loaded aspasomal cream: comparative clinical study. Drug Deliv. 2022; 29(1):1345-57.