Improved Efficacy of Dithranol by Cyclodextrin Nanosponge Integrated Hydrogel for Psoriasis Topical Therapy
Sunil Kumar, Varsha Kadian, Babu Lal Jangir, Rekha RaoIntroduction::
Psoriasis is a serious skin ailment that negatively impacts the daily lives of approximately 3% of people worldwide. To address patient treatment withdrawal due to associated side effects and the high cost of existing therapies, the aim of the present study was to fabricate a novel topical nanoformulation consisting of a dithranol-loaded nanosponge integrated hydrogel (DTHNS-HG) for the management of psoriasis. Dithranol (DTH) has low topical bioavailability due to its physicochemical determinants. Additionally, its clinical use is associated with some adverse effects, like irritation, burning, and staining.
Methods::
To enhance topical effectiveness, DTH-loaded nanosponge-based hydrogels (DTHNSHG) were fabricated and evaluated. In this study, we evaluated in vitro irritation, in vivo skin targeting, and antipsoriatic activity using imiquimod induced mouse model, including oxidative stress markers in Swiss mice.
Results::
In the present study, the DTH nanoparticulate hydrogel induced slight irritation and was found to be safe for topical application. This DTH hydrogel formed a depot in the epidermis, which was confirmed by in vivo skin distribution assessment using a fluorescent marker. Further, these experiments presented improved antipsoriatic efficacy in terms of histopathological, phenotypical, and biochemical assessments compared to the conventional product. DTHNS-HG successfully reduced PASI in psoriasis animal models, demonstrating the significant therapeutic potential of this nanoformulation in psoriasis.
Discussion::
The anti-psoriatic potential of DTH in Swiss mice was greatly improved by its encapsulation in nanosponge-based hydrogels, which boosted its accumulation and diffusion into the skin. This was corroborated by the highest statistically significant reduction in PASI score, erythema, scaling, and skin thickness. In addition to the above, it was also seen that the skin histopathology of mice when administered DTHNS-HG exhibited reduced psoriasis lesions.
Conclusion::
In summary, these findings suggest that the explored strategy may be a viable means of developing topical formulations for targeting the skin and achieving stronger anti-psoriatic effects with minimum skin irritation. These outcomes may potentially contribute to supporting experimental confirmation of the clinical utility of DTHNS-HG in psoriasis management.