Formulation and Stability of a 1% Clarithromycin-Based Topical Skin Cream: A New Option to Treat Buruli Ulcers?

• Main Authors: Maria Sebti (Author), Arnaud Schweitzer-Chaput (Author), Salvatore Cisternino (Author), Mélanie Hinterlang (Author), Dimitri Ancedy (Author), Sandrine Lam (Author), Sylvain Auvity (Author), Camille Cotteret (Author), Olivier Lortholary (Author), Joël Schlatter (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: MDPI AG, 2024-05-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

There are more than 170 known species of non-tuberculous mycobacteria, and some are responsible for serious diseases in people infected with them. One of these is Buruli ulcers, a neglected tropical disease endemic in more than 33 countries and caused by <i>Mycobacterium ulcerans</i>, which infects skin tissue. Treatment consists of a long-term regimen combining the use of oral rifampin with another anti-tuberculosis drug (e.g., clarithromycin). Patients in these countries face difficulties in accessing and adhering to this therapy. This study investigates the feasibility of formulating stable, optimized clarithromycin as a topical cutaneous cream. The cream was formulated, and its stability was evaluated under different storage temperature conditions and using a stability indicator method. The results showed that the clarithromycin cream was stable for at least 60 days, even at extreme temperatures (40 °C). In conclusion, the data presented here demonstrate the stability of a new form of topical cutaneous clarithromycin, which may offer a new approach to the treatment of Buruli ulcers and clarithromycin-sensitive infections.

Item Description

10.3390/ph17060691
1424-8247