{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,1]],"date-time":"2026-09-01T05:51:56Z","timestamp":1788241916068,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":57,"publisher":"Wiley","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,16]],"date-time":"2026-04-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1776297600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/termsAndConditions#vor"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,16]],"date-time":"2026-04-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1776297600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Biopharm &amp;amp; Drug Disp"],"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    Voriconazole\u00a0(VCZ) is a broad\u2010spectrum antifungal agent widely used for treating fungal infections caused by\n                    <jats:italic>Candida<\/jats:italic>\n                    ,\n                    <jats:italic>Aspergillus<\/jats:italic>\n                    , and\n                    <jats:italic>Fusarium<\/jats:italic>\n                    species, which are commonly associated with fungal keratitis (FK). Topical ophthalmic ointments offer several advantages over conventional eye drops, including prolonged retention on the ocular surface, sustained drug release, and improved bioavailability. In this study, we formulated and optimized a VCZ\u2010loaded ophthalmic ointment intended for effective management of FK. The ointments were prepared using emulsifying wax and varying proportions of liquid paraffins through the fusion method. Among all the formulations, batch F4 demonstrated optimal properties, including a stable, opaque white appearance with drug content of 103.7\u00a0\u00b1\u00a02.4%. Microscopic examination showed no drug crystallization, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) confirmed the absence of drug\u2010excipient interactions. The in vitro release profile of F4 showed 70% drug release over 24\u00a0h, fitting the Higuchi kinetic model, indicative of a sustained release pattern. Ex vivo transcorneal studies revealed that 13.22\u00a0\u00b1\u00a00.81% of the drug permeated across the cornea, while 2.51\u00a0\u00b1\u00a00.03% remained entrapped in the corneal tissue after 24\u00a0h. Ocular irritation studies demonstrated the formulation was non\u2010irritant and safe for ophthalmic use. Furthermore, in vivo pharmacokinetic evaluation in rabbits showed significantly higher corneal drug concentrations for F4 (C\n                    <jats:sub>max<\/jats:sub>\n                    : 400.76\u00a0\u00b1\u00a070.13\u00a0\u03bcg\/mL) compared to a marketed formulation (C\n                    <jats:sub>max<\/jats:sub>\n                    : 32.60\u00a0\u00b1\u00a026.64\u00a0\u03bcg\/mL), indicating approximately 12\u2010fold enhanced retention. These findings suggest that the optimized ointment is a promising option for effective and prolonged ocular delivery of VCZ in the treatment of FK.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1002\/bdd.70029","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,16]],"date-time":"2026-04-16T12:21:57Z","timestamp":1776342117000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Ointment for Topical Ocular Delivery of Voriconazole: Formulation Development, In\u2010Vitro Characterization &amp; In\u2010Vivo Pharmacokinetic Assessment"],"prefix":"10.1002","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4841-0140","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Amol Chhatrapati","family":"Bisen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Pharmaceutics &amp; Pharmacokinetics Division CSIR\u2010Central Drug Research Institute  Lucknow Uttar Pradesh India"},{"name":"Academy of Scientific &amp; Innovative Research (AcSIR)  Ghaziabad Uttar Pradesh India"},{"name":"ICMR\u2010 National Institute for Pre\u2010Clinical Research (NIPCR)  Hyderabad Telangana India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-5477-4300","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ayush","family":"Dubey","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pharmaceutics &amp; 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