Advances in Analytical Techniques for the Simultaneous Quantification of Azole Antifungals and Corticosteroids in Topical Formulations

Imad Osman Abu Reid; Sayda Mohamed Osman; Somia Mohammed Bakheet

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijpc.20251102.11

Review Article |

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Advances in Analytical Techniques for the Simultaneous Quantification of Azole Antifungals and Corticosteroids in Topical Formulations

Imad Osman Abu Reid^*

, Sayda Mohamed Osman

, Somia Mohammed Bakheet

Published in International Journal of Pharmacy and Chemistry (Volume 11, Issue 2)

Received: 21 February 2025 Accepted: 4 March 2025 Published: 21 March 2025

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Abstract

Background. The combination of azole antifungals and topical corticosteroids is widely used in treating inflamed superficial mycoses infections. These combinations provide both antifungal activity and anti-inflammatory effects, making them effective for managing various dermatological conditions. Objective. This review explores various quantitative analytical methods used for assessing azole antifungal and corticosteroid combinations in topical formulations. It evaluates techniques employed in studies published between 1999 and 2024, highlighting their advantages and limitations. Main ideas and results. The review examines various analytical techniques, including ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE), and high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC). Among these methods, HPLC was the most frequently employed, accounting for approximately 60% of published studies. While HPLC offers high sensitivity and reliability, its dependence on organic solvents and costly instrumentation presents limitations. Alternative methods such as thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and UV spectrophotometry were also widely utilized. TLC, representing about 14% of studies, was preferred for its simplicity and cost-effectiveness, while UV spectrophotometry, making up 24.5% of reported methods, was favored for its accessibility and ease of optimization. In contrast, capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) was the least commonly used, appearing in only one study (less than 2%), despite its eco-friendly nature and procedural simplicity. Conclusion. Among the various analytical techniques reviewed, HPLC remained the most preferred method due to its accuracy and sensitivity. However, the continued use of UV spectrophotometry and TLC highlights the importance of cost-effective and accessible methods. The minimal adoption of CZE suggests an opportunity for further exploration into eco-friendly analytical alternatives.

Published in	International Journal of Pharmacy and Chemistry (Volume 11, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijpc.20251102.11
Page(s)	31-46
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Azole Antifungals, Topical Corticosteroids, Combination, Determination

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Reid, I. O. A., Osman, S. M., Bakheet, S. M. (2025). Advances in Analytical Techniques for the Simultaneous Quantification of Azole Antifungals and Corticosteroids in Topical Formulations. International Journal of Pharmacy and Chemistry, 11(2), 31-46. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpc.20251102.11

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Reid, I. O. A.; Osman, S. M.; Bakheet, S. M. Advances in Analytical Techniques for the Simultaneous Quantification of Azole Antifungals and Corticosteroids in Topical Formulations. Int. J. Pharm. Chem. 2025, 11(2), 31-46. doi: 10.11648/j.ijpc.20251102.11

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Reid IOA, Osman SM, Bakheet SM. Advances in Analytical Techniques for the Simultaneous Quantification of Azole Antifungals and Corticosteroids in Topical Formulations. Int J Pharm Chem. 2025;11(2):31-46. doi: 10.11648/j.ijpc.20251102.11

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@article{10.11648/j.ijpc.20251102.11,
  author = {Imad Osman Abu Reid and Sayda Mohamed Osman and Somia Mohammed Bakheet},
  title = {Advances in Analytical Techniques for the Simultaneous Quantification of Azole Antifungals and Corticosteroids in Topical Formulations
},
  journal = {International Journal of Pharmacy and Chemistry},
  volume = {11},
  number = {2},
  pages = {31-46},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijpc.20251102.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpc.20251102.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijpc.20251102.11},
  abstract = {Background. The combination of azole antifungals and topical corticosteroids is widely used in treating inflamed superficial mycoses infections. These combinations provide both antifungal activity and anti-inflammatory effects, making them effective for managing various dermatological conditions. Objective. This review explores various quantitative analytical methods used for assessing azole antifungal and corticosteroid combinations in topical formulations. It evaluates techniques employed in studies published between 1999 and 2024, highlighting their advantages and limitations. Main ideas and results. The review examines various analytical techniques, including ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE), and high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC). Among these methods, HPLC was the most frequently employed, accounting for approximately 60% of published studies. While HPLC offers high sensitivity and reliability, its dependence on organic solvents and costly instrumentation presents limitations. Alternative methods such as thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and UV spectrophotometry were also widely utilized. TLC, representing about 14% of studies, was preferred for its simplicity and cost-effectiveness, while UV spectrophotometry, making up 24.5% of reported methods, was favored for its accessibility and ease of optimization. In contrast, capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) was the least commonly used, appearing in only one study (less than 2%), despite its eco-friendly nature and procedural simplicity. Conclusion. Among the various analytical techniques reviewed, HPLC remained the most preferred method due to its accuracy and sensitivity. However, the continued use of UV spectrophotometry and TLC highlights the importance of cost-effective and accessible methods. The minimal adoption of CZE suggests an opportunity for further exploration into eco-friendly analytical alternatives.
},
 year = {2025}
}

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TY - JOUR
T1 - Advances in Analytical Techniques for the Simultaneous Quantification of Azole Antifungals and Corticosteroids in Topical Formulations

AU - Imad Osman Abu Reid
AU - Sayda Mohamed Osman
AU - Somia Mohammed Bakheet
Y1 - 2025/03/21
PY - 2025
N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpc.20251102.11
DO - 10.11648/j.ijpc.20251102.11
T2 - International Journal of Pharmacy and Chemistry
JF - International Journal of Pharmacy and Chemistry
JO - International Journal of Pharmacy and Chemistry
SP - 31
EP - 46
PB - Science Publishing Group
SN - 2575-5749
UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpc.20251102.11
AB - Background. The combination of azole antifungals and topical corticosteroids is widely used in treating inflamed superficial mycoses infections. These combinations provide both antifungal activity and anti-inflammatory effects, making them effective for managing various dermatological conditions. Objective. This review explores various quantitative analytical methods used for assessing azole antifungal and corticosteroid combinations in topical formulations. It evaluates techniques employed in studies published between 1999 and 2024, highlighting their advantages and limitations. Main ideas and results. The review examines various analytical techniques, including ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE), and high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC). Among these methods, HPLC was the most frequently employed, accounting for approximately 60% of published studies. While HPLC offers high sensitivity and reliability, its dependence on organic solvents and costly instrumentation presents limitations. Alternative methods such as thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and UV spectrophotometry were also widely utilized. TLC, representing about 14% of studies, was preferred for its simplicity and cost-effectiveness, while UV spectrophotometry, making up 24.5% of reported methods, was favored for its accessibility and ease of optimization. In contrast, capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) was the least commonly used, appearing in only one study (less than 2%), despite its eco-friendly nature and procedural simplicity. Conclusion. Among the various analytical techniques reviewed, HPLC remained the most preferred method due to its accuracy and sensitivity. However, the continued use of UV spectrophotometry and TLC highlights the importance of cost-effective and accessible methods. The minimal adoption of CZE suggests an opportunity for further exploration into eco-friendly analytical alternatives.

VL - 11
IS - 2
ER -

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Author Information

Imad Osman Abu Reid

Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, International University of Africa, Khartoum, Sudan

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http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1381-1369
Sayda Mohamed Osman

Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, International University of Africa, Khartoum, Sudan

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0002-3561-9922
Somia Mohammed Bakheet

Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, International University of Africa, Khartoum, Sudan

Contact Email

http://orcid.org/0009-0009-9772-7903

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Reid, I. O. A., Osman, S. M., Bakheet, S. M. (2025). Advances in Analytical Techniques for the Simultaneous Quantification of Azole Antifungals and Corticosteroids in Topical Formulations. International Journal of Pharmacy and Chemistry, 11(2), 31-46. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpc.20251102.11

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ACS Style

Reid, I. O. A.; Osman, S. M.; Bakheet, S. M. Advances in Analytical Techniques for the Simultaneous Quantification of Azole Antifungals and Corticosteroids in Topical Formulations. Int. J. Pharm. Chem. 2025, 11(2), 31-46. doi: 10.11648/j.ijpc.20251102.11

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AMA Style

Reid IOA, Osman SM, Bakheet SM. Advances in Analytical Techniques for the Simultaneous Quantification of Azole Antifungals and Corticosteroids in Topical Formulations. Int J Pharm Chem. 2025;11(2):31-46. doi: 10.11648/j.ijpc.20251102.11

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@article{10.11648/j.ijpc.20251102.11,
  author = {Imad Osman Abu Reid and Sayda Mohamed Osman and Somia Mohammed Bakheet},
  title = {Advances in Analytical Techniques for the Simultaneous Quantification of Azole Antifungals and Corticosteroids in Topical Formulations
},
  journal = {International Journal of Pharmacy and Chemistry},
  volume = {11},
  number = {2},
  pages = {31-46},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijpc.20251102.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijpc.20251102.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijpc.20251102.11},
  abstract = {Background. The combination of azole antifungals and topical corticosteroids is widely used in treating inflamed superficial mycoses infections. These combinations provide both antifungal activity and anti-inflammatory effects, making them effective for managing various dermatological conditions. Objective. This review explores various quantitative analytical methods used for assessing azole antifungal and corticosteroid combinations in topical formulations. It evaluates techniques employed in studies published between 1999 and 2024, highlighting their advantages and limitations. Main ideas and results. The review examines various analytical techniques, including ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE), and high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC). Among these methods, HPLC was the most frequently employed, accounting for approximately 60% of published studies. While HPLC offers high sensitivity and reliability, its dependence on organic solvents and costly instrumentation presents limitations. Alternative methods such as thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and UV spectrophotometry were also widely utilized. TLC, representing about 14% of studies, was preferred for its simplicity and cost-effectiveness, while UV spectrophotometry, making up 24.5% of reported methods, was favored for its accessibility and ease of optimization. In contrast, capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) was the least commonly used, appearing in only one study (less than 2%), despite its eco-friendly nature and procedural simplicity. Conclusion. Among the various analytical techniques reviewed, HPLC remained the most preferred method due to its accuracy and sensitivity. However, the continued use of UV spectrophotometry and TLC highlights the importance of cost-effective and accessible methods. The minimal adoption of CZE suggests an opportunity for further exploration into eco-friendly analytical alternatives.
},
 year = {2025}
}

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TY - JOUR
T1 - Advances in Analytical Techniques for the Simultaneous Quantification of Azole Antifungals and Corticosteroids in Topical Formulations

VL - 11
IS - 2
ER -

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