Formulation and In Vitro Evaluation of a Nano-Bioadhesive Herbal Gel for Enhanced Anti-psoriatic Therapy
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Chronic psoriasis is an immune-mediated inflammatory skin disorder characterized by excessive keratinocyte proliferation and persistent inflammation. Traditional treatments such as systemic agents and corticosteroids work, but they can have side effects when used over long-term treatment. Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and wound-healing properties, but
these properties are restricted by its low penetration and retention in the skin. Objective: The present study was designed to formulate and evaluate an Aloe vera-loaded nano-bioadhesive gel for the improvement of topical drug delivery and formulation performance for potential psoriasis management. Methods: Nanoparticles containing Aloe vera were synthesized by the nanoprecipitation method and then encapsulated in a bioadhesive gel made of Carbopol 934 and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. The physicochemical properties, nanoparticle characteristics, in vitro drug release profile, bioadhesive strength, and in vitro biocompatibility of the formulation were assessed. All experimental results are presented as mean ± standard deviation (SD). Results: The optimized formulation
exhibited a pH of 6.12 ± 0.08, viscosity of 5420 ± 85 cP, spreadability of 7.8 ± 0.3 cm, and drug content of 96.8 ± 1.2%. The nanoparticles demonstrated a mean particle size of 182.4 ± 6.3 nm, zeta potential of −28.7 ± 1.4 mV, and encapsulation efficiency of 84.5 ± 2.1%. The nano-bioadhesive gel exhibited strong bioadhesion (31.4 ± 1.1 g) and sustained drug release, achieving 93.4% cumulative release after 24 h. The MTT assay with HaCaT Cells demonstrated high cellular compatibility, with cell viability remaining above 88% across all tested concentrations. Conclusion: The developed Aloe vera-loaded nano-bioadhesive gel exhibited desirable physicochemical properties, sustained drug release, excellent bioadhesive properties, and good in vitro biocompatibility. The results suggest that the formulation is a potential topical delivery system for herbal therapeutics. However, more in vivo and clinical studies are needed to confirm its therapeutic effectiveness and clinical use in psoriasis treatment
Article Details
Section
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International License [CC BY-NC 4.0], which requires that reusers give credit to the creator. It allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, for noncommercial purposes only.