Preparation and Characterization of Transethosome Formulation for the Enhanced Delivery of Sinapic Acid

Hyaluronic-Acid-Functionalized Tofacitinib Loaded Transethosomes for Targeted Drug Delivery in Rheumatoid Arthritis

The Janus kinase inhibitor tofacitinib (TOF) is an FDA-approved drug for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment, but its long-term oral use leads to significant systemic side effects. The present research aimed to conquer these challenges by formulating hyaluronic-acid-coated transethosomes (HA-TOF-TE), a novel system for targeted, topical delivery of TOF to reduce systemic toxicity and improve therapeutic efficacy. Transethosomes were synthesized via the cold sonication technique with HA functionalization enabling CD44 receptor-mediated targeting of inflamed synovial tissue. Optimized TOF-TE and HA-TOF-TE formulations showed particle sizes of 199.08 ± 4.2 and 151.5 ± 5.4 nm, zeta potentials of -27.1 ± 0.75 and -34.10 ± 0.89 mV, and entrapment efficiencies of 81.16 ± 0.84% and 79.19 ± 2.65%, respectively. The gels were assessed through in vitro drug release, ex vivo permeability, and in vivo effectiveness experiments using Freund's complete adjuvant (CFA) model. Ex vivo studies showed 2.02-fold and 1.61-fold increments in flux for TOF-TE and HA-TOF-TE, respectively, with superior skin retention for HA-TOF-TE. In vivo efficacy confirmed HA-TOF-TE's significant (P < 0.001) anti-inflammatory effect on arthritic rat paws, outperforming TOF-TE and FD gels. Cytokine analysis showed notable reductions in serum IL-1, IL-6, and PGE-2 levels after HA-TOF-TE treatment, closely approximating control values. Additionally, mRNA analysis demonstrated marked decreases in IL-6, CD44, and collagen II expression, indicating HA-TOF-TE's potential as an effective, targeted RA treatment, addressing the challenges of conventional TOF therapy and minimizing systemic side effects.

Potential of the Nano-Encapsulation of Antioxidant Molecules in Wound Healing Applications: An Innovative Strategy to Enhance the Bio-Profile

Naturally available antioxidants offer remarkable medicinal applications in wound healing. However, the encapsulation of these phytoactive moieties into suitable nano-scale drug delivery systems has always been challenging due to their inherent characteristics, such as low molecular weight, poor aqueous solubility, and inadequate skin permeability. Here, we provide a systematic review focusing on the major obstacles hindering the development of various lipid and polymer-based drug transporters to carry these cargos to the targeted site. Additionally, this review covers the possibility of combining the effects of a polymer and a lipid within one system, which could increase the skin permeability threshold. Moreover, the lack of suitable physical characterization techniques and the challenges associated with scaling up the progression of these nano-carriers limit their utility in biomedical applications. In this context, consistent progressive approaches for addressing these shortcomings are introduced, and their prospects are discussed in detail.

A complete sojourn on nanotechnological advancements and nanocarrier applications in psoriasis management

Psoriasis, a chronic autoimmune and non-communicable skin disease, affects 2-3% of the global population, creating a significant financial burden on healthcare systems worldwide. Treatment approaches are categorized based on disease severity, with first-line therapy focusing on topical treatments and second-line therapy encompassing phototherapy, systemic therapy, and biological therapy. Transdermal drug delivery methods present a promising alternative by enhancing drug absorption through the skin, potentially improving therapeutic outcomes while minimizing systemic adverse effects. Among these, microneedles (MNs) emerge as an innovative transdermal delivery device offering controlled and sustained drug release, reduced systemic exposure, and painless, minimally invasive targeted drug delivery, making them highly suitable for managing skin-related immune disorders. Other transdermal techniques, such as sonophoresis, patches, iontophoresis, and electroporation, also play critical roles in psoriasis treatment. Nanotechnological approaches offer transformative solutions to overcome the limitations of traditional formulations by enhancing efficacy, reducing dosing frequency, and minimizing dose-dependent side effects. Various nanocarriers, including liposomes, ethosomes, transferosomes, niosomes, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), liquid crystalline nanoparticles (LCNPs), nanoemulsions (NEs), and micelles, demonstrate significant potential to improve drug penetration, targeted distribution, safety, and efficacy. This review aims to comprehensively analyze the advancements in nanotechnological approaches and nanocarrier applications for psoriasis management. It discusses the types, pathophysiology, and history of psoriasis while exploring current treatment strategies, including herbal formulations and nanotechnology-based interventions. The review also evaluates the potential of nanotechnological advancements as innovative therapeutic options, emphasizing their mechanisms, benefits, and clinical applicability in addressing the shortcomings of conventional therapies. Together, these insights highlight nano-formulations as a promising frontier for effective psoriasis management.

Development and Evaluation of Nano-Vesicular Emulsion-Based Gel as a Promising Approach for Dermal Atorvastatin Delivery Against Inflammation

Introduction

Atorvastatin (ATV), a medication used to reduce cholesterol levels, possesses properties that can counteract the damaging effects of free radicals and reduce inflammation. However, the administration of ATV orally is associated with low systemic bioavailability due to its limited capacity to dissolve in water and significant first-pass effect. This study aimed to assess the appropriateness of employing nano-vesicles for transdermal administration of ATV in order to enhance its anti-inflammatory effects.

Methods

ATV-loaded transethosomes (ATV-TEs) were optimized using the 33 Box-Behnken design. The ATV-TEs that were created were evaluated for their vesicle size, encapsulation efficiency (% EE), and percent release of drug. The optimum formulation was integrated into a hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) emulsion-based gel (ATV-TEs emulgel) using jojoba oil. ATV-TEs emulgel was examined for its physical characteristics, ex vivo permeability, histological, and anti-inflammatory effect in a rat model of inflamed paw edema.

Results

The optimized transethosomes exhibited a vesicle size of 158.00 nm and an encapsulation efficiency of 80.14 ± 1.42%. Furthermore, the use of transethosomal vesicles effectively prolonged the release of ATV for a duration of 24 hours, in contrast to the pure drug suspension. In addition, the transethosomal emulgel loaded with ATV exhibited a 3.8-fold increase in the transdermal flow of ATV, in comparison to the pure drug suspension. ATV-TEs emulgel demonstrated a strong anti-inflammatory impact in the carrageenan-induced paw edema model.

Discussion

This was evident from the significant reduction in paw edema, which was equivalent to the effect of the standard anti-inflammatory medicine, Diclofenac sodium.

Conclusion

In summary, transethosomes, as a whole, might potentially serve as an effective method for delivering drugs via the skin. This could improve the ability of ATV to reduce inflammation by increasing its absorption through the skin.

Pharmacological Activities and Molecular Mechanisms of Sinapic Acid in Neurological Disorders

Sinapic acid (SA) is a phenylpropanoid derivative found in various natural sources that exhibits remarkable versatile properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and metal-chelating capabilities, establishing itself as a promising candidate for the prevention and treatment of conditions affecting the central nervous system, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), ischemic stroke, and other neurological disorders. These effects also include neuroprotection in epilepsy models, as evidenced by a reduction in seizure-like behavior, cell death in specific hippocampal regions, and lowered neuroinflammatory markers. In AD, SA treatment enhances memory, reverses cognitive deficits, and attenuates astrocyte activation. SA also has positive effects on cognition by improving memory and lowering oxidative stress. This is shown by lower levels of oxidative stress markers, higher levels of antioxidant enzyme activity, and better memory retention. Additionally, in ischemic stroke and PD models, SA provides microglial protection and exerts anti-inflammatory effects. This review emphasizes SA's multifaceted neuroprotective properties and its potential role in the prevention and treatment of various brain disorders. Despite the need for further research to fully understand its mechanisms of action and clinical applicability, SA stands out as a valuable bioactive compound in the ongoing quest to combat neurodegenerative diseases and enhance the quality of life for affected individuals.

Plant-Based Nanovesicular Gel Formulations Applied to Skin for Ameliorating the Anti-Inflammatory Efficiency

Inflammation is a vascular response that occurs when the immune system responds to a range of stimuli including viruses, allergens, damaged cells, and toxic substances. Inflammation is accompanied by redness, heat, swelling, discomfort, and loss of function. Natural products have been shown to have considerable therapeutic benefits, and they are increasingly being regarded as feasible alternatives for clinical preventative, diagnostic, and treatment techniques. Natural products, in contrast to developed medications, not only contain a wide variety of structures, they also display a wide range of biological activities against a variety of disease states and molecular targets. This makes natural products appealing for development in the field of medicine. In spite of the progress that has been made in the application of natural products for clinical reasons, there are still factors that prevent them from reaching their full potential, including poor solubility and stability, as well limited efficacy and bioavailability. In order to address these problems, transdermal nanovesicular gel systems have emerged as a viable way to overcome the hurdles that are encountered in the therapeutic use of natural products. These systems have a number of significant advantages, including the ability to provide sustained and controlled release, a large specific surface area, improved solubility, stability, increased targeting capabilities and therapeutic effectiveness. Further data confirming the efficacy and safety of nanovesicles-gel systems in delivering natural products in preclinical models has been supplied by extensive investigations conducted both in vitro and in vivo. This study provides a summary of previous research as well as the development of novel nanovesicular gel formulations and their application through the skin with a particular emphasis on natural products used for treatment of inflammation.

Transethosomal gel for enhancing transdermal delivery of natural therapeutics

Transethosomes, a fusion of transferosomes and ethosomes, combine the advantageous attributes of both vesicular systems to enhance deformability and skin permeation. While skin delivery is effective for drug transport, overcoming the skin barrier remains a significant challenge, particularly for plant-based products with poor permeability. Transethosomes offer a promising solution, but their low viscosity and retention on skin surfaces led to the development of transethosomal gels. These gels can entrap unstable and high molecular weight herbal extracts, fractions and bioactive compounds, facilitating enhanced drug delivery to the inner layers of the skin. This review focuses on the superior performance of transethosomes compared with conventional lipid-based nanovesicular systems, offering an advanced approach for transdermal delivery of plant-based drugs with improved permeability and stability.

Nutlin-3 Loaded Ethosomes and Transethosomes to Prevent UV-Associated Skin Damage

The skin's protective mechanisms, in some cases, are not able to counteract the destructive effects induced by UV radiations, resulting in dermatological diseases, as well as skin aging. Nutlin-3, a potent drug with antiproliferative activity in keratinocytes, can block UV-induced apoptosis by activation of p53. In the present investigation, ethosomes and transethosomes were designed as delivery systems for nutlin-3, with the aim to protect the skin against UV damage. Vesicle size distribution was evaluated by photon correlation spectroscopy and morphology was investigated by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, while nutlin-3 entrapment capacity was evaluated by ultrafiltration and HPLC. The in vitro diffusion kinetic of nutlin-3 from ethosomes and transethosomes was studied by Franz cell. Moreover, the efficiency of ethosomes and transethosomes in delivering nutlin-3 and its protective role were evaluated in ex vivo skin explants exposed to UV radiations. The results indicate that ethosomes and transethosomes efficaciously entrapped nutlin-3 (0.3% w/w). The ethosome vesicles were spherical and oligolamellar, with a 224 nm mean diameter, while in transethosome the presence of polysorbate 80 resulted in unilamellar vesicles with a 146 nm mean diameter. The fastest nutlin-3 kinetic was detected in the case of transethosomes, with permeability coefficients 7.4-fold higher, with respect to ethosomes and diffusion values 250-fold higher, with respect to the drug in solution. Ex vivo data suggest a better efficacy of transethosomes to promote nutlin-3 delivery within the skin, with respect to ethosomes. Indeed, nutlin-3 loaded transethosomes could prevent UV effect on cutaneous metalloproteinase activation and cell proliferative response.