Nanostructured supramolecular hydrogels: Towards the topical treatment of Psoriasis and other skin diseases

Publication date: 1 September 2019Source: Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, Volume 181Author(s): David Limón, Kirian Talló Domínguez, María Luisa Garduño-Ramírez, Berenice Andrade, Ana C. Calpena, Lluïsa Pérez-GarcíaAbstractSupramolecular hydrogels were synthesized using a bis-imidazolium based amphiphile, and incorporating chemically diverse drugs, such as the cytostatics gemcitabine hydrochloride and methotrexate sodium salt, the immunosuppressive drug tacrolimus, as well as the corticoid drugs betamethasone 17-valerate and triamcinolone acetonide, and their potential as drug delivery agents in the dermal treatment of Psoriasis was evaluated. The rheological behavior of gels was studied, showing in all cases suitable viscoelastic properties for topical drug delivery. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows that the drugs included have a great influence on the gel morphology at the microscopic level, as the incorporation of gemcitabine hydrochloride leads to slightly thicker fibers, the incorporation of tacrolimus induces flocculation and spherical precipitates, and the incorporation of methotrexate forms curled fibers. 1H NMR spectroscopy experiments show that these drugs not only remain dissolved at the interstitial space, but up to 72% of either gemcitabine or methotrexate, and up to 38% of tacrolimus, is retained within the gel fibers in gels formed with a 1:1 gelator:drug molar ratio. This unique fiber incorporation not only protects the drug from degrad...
Source: Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces - Category: Biochemistry Source Type: research