A nano-carrier based drug delivery system developed by a researcher from Punjab-based ISF College of Pharmacy can ease treatment of skin conditions like Psoriasis.
The system, developed with the financial support of Science for Equity Empowerment and Development (SEED) Division, Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the Union Science and Technology, can reduce the frequency of skin application to once a day as compared to three times a day in case of conventional dosage of medicine.
The system has resulted in reducing treatment cost and time to half of market available gel, as per the website of the DST.
As per researcher Ankita Daddiwal who has completed the research under the guidance of her Professor RK Narang, the nanocarrier which delivers a chemical called clobestasol propionate, a corticosteroid used to treat various types of skin conditions, can increase the chemical’s solubility, enhance storage stability, improve permeability, reduce adverse effects, prolong half-life, and tissue-targeted delivery.
These improved properties have increased the effectiveness of the clobestasol propionate by enhancing its penetration through infected skin.
Severity of Psoriasis is measured by Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI). The developed system showed 85 per cent decrease in average PASI score as compared to marketed formulation which showed only 50 per cent decrease in average PASI score.
The system also resulted “40 per cent more retention in skin and 80 per cent decrease of drug availability in systemic circulation as compared to marketed gel,” as per the DST website.
Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that effects skin through inappropriate activation of cellular immune system. As per National Psoriasis Foundation, psoriasis affects 125 million people globally.