Liposomal Copermeation Assay Reveals Unexpected Membrane Interactions of Commonly Prescribed Drugs.

The permeation of small molecules across biological membranes is a crucial process that lies at the heart of life. Permeation is involved not only in the maintenance of homeostasis at the cell level but also in the absorption and biodistribution of pharmacologically active substances throughout the human body. Membranes are formed by phospholipid bilayers that represent an energy barrier for permeating molecules.

Imiquimod nanocrystal-loaded dissolving microneedles prepared by DLP printing.

The utilization of 3D printing- digital light processing (DLP) technique, for the direct fabrication of microneedles encounters the problem of drug solubility in printing resin, especially if it is predominantly composed of water. The possible solution how to ensure ideal belonging of drug and water-based printing resin is its pre-formulation in nanosuspension such as nanocrystals. This study investigates the feasibility of this approach on a resin containing nanocrystals of imiquimod (IMQ), an active used in (pre)cancerous skin conditions, well known for its problematic solubility and bioavailability.

Nanoformulations for dermal delivery of imiquimod: The race of "soft" against "hard".

Imiquimod (IMQ) is an immunostimulating agent used in the treatment of basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis. Due to its low solubility and poor skin bioavailability, the dermal formulation of IMQ remains challenging. In analogy to tyre compounds used in Formula 1 racing, we compare four types of nanosystems belonging to three groups: (i) "hard" nanoparticles in the form of IMQ nanocrystals, (ii) "intermediate" nanoparticles in the form of liposomes and lipid nanocapsules, and (iii) "soft" nanoparticles in the form of a nanoemulsion based on oleic acid.

The Contest of Nanoparticles: Searching for the Most Effective Topical Delivery of Corticosteroids.

Owing to their complicated pathophysiology, the treatment of skin diseases necessitates a complex approach. Conventional treatment using topical corticosteroids often results in low effectiveness and the incidence of local or even systemic side effects. Nanoformulation of potent anti-inflammatory drugs has been selected as an optimal strategy for enhanced topical delivery of corticosteroids.