Jagoda Szkudlarek
PC38 – Jagoda Szkudlarek
Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Chair and Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Poznań, Poland
Doctoral School, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznań, Poland
ORCID
jszkudlarek@ump.edu.pl
| Hydration Medium Matters: Development and Physicochemical Evaluation of 20-Hydroxyecdysone Niosomes for Topical Psoriasis Treatment |
| Szkudlarek Jagoda1,2, Anglart Gabriela1, Szymon Tomczak1, Dariusz T. Mlynarczyk3, Jelińska Anna1, and Piwowarczyk Ludwika1 1 Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Chair and Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Rokietnicka 3, 60‑803 Poznań, Poland 2 Doctoral School, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 70 Bukowska, 60-812 Poznań, Poland 3 Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Chair and Department of Chemical Technology of Drugs, Rokietnicka 3, 60‑803 Poznań, Poland |
| Abstract Psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory skin disease characterized by excessive keratinocyte proliferation, infiltration of inflammatory cells, and dysregulated cell death. Topical therapy remains essential because it delivers drugs locally while minimizing systemic side effects [1,2]. Niosomes, non-ionic surfactant-based vesicular systems that mimic the bilayer structure of biological membranes, have gained increasing interest as carriers capable of enhancing dermal penetration and improving the topical delivery of bioactive compounds [3]. In this study, 20-hydroxyecdysone (20HE)-loaded niosomes were developed as a potential platform for the topical treatment of psoriasis. The formulations were prepared using the thin-film hydration method. Briefly, 20HE, surfactants, and cholesterol were dissolved in methanol, and the solvent was removed under reduced pressure via rotary evaporation to create a dry lipid film. The film was then hydrated with two selected media. Vesicle size was further reduced by sonication using a homogenizer. The impact of the hydration medium on formulation properties was evaluated. The optimized formulation was further characterized by NTA, DLS, ELS, HPLC, and pH measurement. Short-term stability was monitored over three weeks. The developed niosomal systems exhibited favorable physicochemical properties and maintained good stability during storage. Their pH was appropriate for potential topical application. The formulation composition and the choice of hydration medium influenced the final characteristics, with one medium showing significantly better performance than the other. Overall, these findings support further investigation of 20HE-loaded niosomes as a promising topical delivery system for psoriasis. |
| References [1] Armstrong, A.W.; Blauvelt, A.; Callis Duffin, K.; Huang, Y.-H.; Savage, L.J.; Guo, L.; Merola, J.F. Psoriasis. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2025, 11, 45. [2] Zhu, Y.; Zhou, Y.; Ma, X.; Duan, Z.; Xu, H.; Li, Y.; Kong, Y.; Yang, L.; Xin, X. Topical Therapy in Psoriasis: Clinical Benefits, Advances in Novel Drug Delivery Strategies, and Gene Therapy Regimen. Pharmaceutics 2025, 17, 283. [3] Thilagam, N.B.S.; Karthik, V.P.; Gnanasambandan, R.; Sowmya, C. A Comprehensive Review of Strategies of Topical Niosomes and Their Synergistic Effect for Enhanced Therapeutic Outcomes. Pharm Nanotechnol 2024, 11, 45. Funding: The project “Research aimed at developing a new, innovative pharmaceutical form for the topical treatment of psoriasis vulgaris” is being implemented as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, as part of Investment D3.1.1 Comprehensive development of research in medical sciences and health sciences, reference number: 2024/ABM/03/KPO/KPOD.07.07-IW.07-0043/24-00 |