Development and characterization of nanocarriers for topical treatment of psoriasis by using combination therapy

Figures & data

Figure 1. TEM micrographs of optimized niosomal formulations containing both drugs.

Table I. Surface characteristics of optimized drug-loaded niosomal formulations.

Drug containing formulation	Ratio of span 85 to cholesterol	Drug (%)	Size (nm)	PDI	Zeta potential
MXT	7:3	3	372 ± 5.27	0.222	−28
Trioxysalen	7:3	3	317 ± 3.11	0.284	−20
Combination of both drugs	7:3	3	399 ± 3.12	0.246	−25

Table II. Entrapment efficiency of optimized niosomal formulation.

S. No.	Drug containing formulations	Entrapment efficiency
1	MXT	71% ± 3.99
2	Trioxysalen	48% ± 3.67
3	Combination of both drugs	MTX 61% ± 3.12, Trioxysalen 52% ± 3.34

Figure 2. Release studies of Trioxysalen (A), MXT (B), and combination of both drugs (C) in methanolic PBS (7.4).

Figure 3. Permeation studies of Trioxysalen (A), MXT (B), and combination of both drugs (C) in methanolic PBS (7.4).

Table III. Permeation parameters of niosomal formulations.

S. No.	Drug containing formulations	Flux(μg/cm/h)	Lag time (h)
1	MXT	6.1 ± 0.76	0.58
2	Trioxysalen	9.5 ± 0.82	0.5
3	Combined MXT Trioxysalen	9.2 ± 0.88 11.5 ± 0.92	0.58 0.41

Table IV. Stability of effect of storage temperature on size and drug content.

	Particle size (nm)		Drug content (%)
	4 ± 1°C	25 ± 1°C	4 ± 1°C		25 ± 1°C
Days	Drug combinations (nm)		MTX (%)	Trioxysalen (%)	MTX (%)	Trioxysalen (%)
0	399	399	61	52	61	52
10	425	546	59	49	57	48
20	534	756	55	41	53	40
30	712	914	54	40	50	38

Figure 4. Skin histology: (A) Control group, (B) Skin treated with MXT, (C) Skin treated with Trioxysalen, and (D) Skin treated with MXT and trioxysalen.

Figure 5. Photographs of Skin treated with (A) MXT (400 ×), (B) Trioxysalen (400 ×), and (C) MXT and trioxysalen (400 ×).

Table V. Percentage orthokeratosis and drug activity.

Groups	Orthokeratosis (%)	Drug activity (%)
Control	11	–
MXT	25	15
Trioxysalen	39	35.8
MXT and trioxysalen combined	52	58