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Topical and transdermal delivery with diseased human skin: passive and iontophoretic delivery of hydrocortisone into psoriatic and eczematous skin

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Abstract

Psoriasis and atopic dermatitis (eczema) are both common immune-mediated inflammatory skin diseases associated with changes in skin’s stratum corneum lipid structure and barrier functionality. The present study aimed to investigate healthy, eczematous, and psoriatic excised human tissue for the effect of non-infectious skin diseases on skin characteristics (surface color, pH, transepidermal water loss, electrical resistance, and histology), as well as on permeation and retention profile of hydrocortisone. Further, differences in percutaneous absorption on application of iontophoresis on healthy and diseased skin were also investigated. Measurements of transepidermal water loss and electrical resistance showed a significant difference in psoriasis skin samples indicating a damaged barrier function. In vitro permeation studies on full-thickness human skin using vertical diffusion cells further confirmed these results as the drug amount retained in the psoriatic tissue was significantly higher when compared with the other groups. Despite no significant difference, the presence of the drug in the receptor chamber in both diseased groups can be concerning as it suggests the increased possibility of systemic absorption and adverse reactions associated with it in the use of topical corticosteroids. Application of anodal iontophoresis resulted in greater distribution of hydrocortisone into deeper layers of skin and the receptor chamber, in comparison to passive permeation. However, no significant differences were observed due to the healthy or diseased condition of skin.

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Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Funding

Research reported in this publication was supported by CFD Research Corporation, under a Phase II grant (Grant #: 2R44FD005345-02) from the National Institutes of Health/Food and Drug Administration under the Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR).

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  1. Behnam Dasht Bozorg and Sonalika A. Bhattaccharjee have equally contributed to this study

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Drug Delivery Research, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Mercer University, 30341, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Behnam Dasht Bozorg, Sonalika A. Bhattaccharjee & Ajay K. Banga

  2. CFD Research Corporation, 701 McMillian Way, 35806, Huntsville, AL, USA

    Mahadevabharath R. Somayaji

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  1. Behnam Dasht Bozorg
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Contributions

Conceptualization: Behnam Dasht Bozorg and Ajay K. Banga; Methodology: Behnam Dasht Bozorg and Sonalika A. Bhattaccharjee; Formal analysis and investigation: Behnam Dasht Bozorg and Sonalika A. Bhattaccharjee; Writing—original draft preparation: Behnam Dasht Bozorg and Sonalika A. Bhattaccharjee; Writing—review and editing: Ajay K. Banga and Mahadevabharath R. Somayaji; Funding acquisition: Mahadevabharath R. Somayaji; Resources: Ajay K. Banga and Mahadevabharath R. Somayaji; Supervision: Ajay K. Banga and Mahadevabharath R. Somayaji.

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Correspondence to Ajay K. Banga.

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The tissues utilized were procured by the National Disease Research Interchange (NDRI) with support from NIH grant U42OD11158. All NDRI consent forms and protocols are reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board at the University of Pennsylvania. All samples obtained through one of National Disease Research Interchange’s (NDRI’s) tissue acquisition sites had obtained informed consent in writing for the use of that tissue for research.

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Dasht Bozorg, B., Bhattaccharjee, S.A., Somayaji, M.R. et al. Topical and transdermal delivery with diseased human skin: passive and iontophoretic delivery of hydrocortisone into psoriatic and eczematous skin. Drug Deliv. and Transl. Res. 12, 197–212 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13346-021-00897-7

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