title: Acitretin and aloe-emodin loaded chitin nanogel for the treatment of psoriasis.
abstract: The present study focuses on the development of an effective topical nanogel formulation of two anti-psoriatic drugs; Acitretin (Act) and Aloe-emodin (AE) using natural polymer chitin. Simple regeneration chemistry was used to prepare Chitin Nanogel Systems (CNGs). The developed control chitin (CNGs) nanogels, acitretin loaded chitin nanogels (ActCNGs) and aloe-emodin loaded chitin nanogels (AECNGs) were characterized by DLS, SEM, FTIR, XRD and TG-DTA. The systems were found to be spherical in shape with a size range of 98±10, 138±8 and 238±6nm having zeta potential values of +28±3, +27±3 and +25±6mV for CNGs, ActCNGs and AECNGs respectively. The in vitro haemolysis assay revealed that all the nanogel systems are blood compatible. The systems exhibited higher swelling and release at acidic pH. The ex vivo skin permeation studies using porcine skin confirmed the higher deposition of the systems at epidermal and dermal layers, which was confirmed further by fluorescent imaging. The in vivo anti-psoriatic activity study using Perry's mouse tail model and skin safety studies confirmed the potential benefit of the system for topical delivery of acitretin and aloe-emodin in psoriasis.
authors.affiliation: Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amrita University, Kochi 682041, India.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Divya
authors.affiliation: Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amrita University, Kochi 682041, India.
authors.forename: Rajitha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Panonnummal
authors.affiliation: Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amrita University, Kochi 682041, India.
authors.forename: Swati
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Amrita Centre for Nanosciences and Molecular Medicine, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amrita University, Kochi 682041, India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jayakumar
authors.affiliation: Amrita School of Pharmacy, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amrita University, Kochi 682041, India. Electronic address: sabitham@aims.amrita.edu.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sabitha
mesh_terms: D017255:Acitretin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D000880:Anthraquinones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002686:Chitin / Q000737:chemistry*; D004337:Drug Carriers; D051379:Mice; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D049329:Nanostructures; D011565:Psoriasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013552:Swine; D013818:Thermogravimetry; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D000880:Anthraquinones; D004337:Drug Carriers; D002686:Chitin; C518327:aloe emodin; D017255:Acitretin
keywords: Acitretin; Aloe-emodin; Chitin nanogel; Psoriasis; Toxicity