Ocular toxicity of topical clotrimazole preparations

Clotrimazole is an antifungal imidazole with in vitro efficacy against Acan-thamoeba species. Lacking a commercially available ophthalmic preparation of clotrimazole, we tested several vehicles for corneal epithelial toxicity in a rabbit model. The mean times to epithelial wound closure are significantly delayed for 1% clotrimazole in polyethylene glycol (p = 0.00002) or in Cremophor (p = 0.003). Use of a commercially available clotrimazole cream preparation did not result in significantly different closure times from control levels (p = 0.7). Further studies are suggested on the bioavailability and potential efficacy of an ophthalmic preparation of clotrimazole in the treatment of Acanthamoeba keratitis.