الفهرس 
Pharmaceutical Study on an Antifungal Drug in Certain Drug Delivery Systems
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Abstract
Keratitis is the most serious disease affecting the cornea. The fungal infection type is the most common cause of corneal blindness. The incidence of such type keratitis is notified to be between 17% and 36%. The antifungal agents used for the treatment of fungal keratitis include different classes; azoles, and polyenes (natamycin, amphotericin B, and nystatin). Natamycin (NAT) is considered as the first antifungal agent for topical ophthalmic administration, approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States. It is commercially available as Natacyn 5% ophthalmic suspension eye drop; Alcon. It is rated to be a broad-spectrum antifungal agent against various fungal keratitis and provide higher penetration across the intact cornea upon topical application, compared to the other antifungal agents. It is considered as the chosen drug for filamentous mycotic keratitis treatment (MK) via inhibiting the growth of fungi by binding to ergosterol which presents in the cell membrane of fungi. The sitting therapy with NAT reports unsatisfactory performance for various reasons; such as long duration of treatment, high dosing frequency, and short residence time at the ocular mucosa due to the eye precorneal barriers as tear dilution, tear turnover, increased lacrimation and solution drainage. This prolonged and high-frequency dosing is difficult to attain; causing suboptimal concentration at the infected corneal site and increase resistance to MK