A self-assembled nano-spray formulation for synergistic therapy of anti-inflammation and skin repair

Abstract

Inflammatory skin disorders (ISDs), characterized by severe inflammation and impaired skin barrier functions, often requires persistent treatment due to chronic and relapsing natures. To address these issues, we developed a small-molecular self-assembled nanodrug (ECN) that is composed of natural epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) self-assembled with tripeptide collagen (CTP). By formulating a transdermal enhancer (cationic dendrimer) with ECN, the resulted dendrimers/ECN nanocomplex (DECN) can effectively penetrate into the skin layer, resulting in effective anti-inflammatory response and repair of skin-barrier functions. In animal models of ISDs, including atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis, DECN showed remarkable skin penetration, with high level of drug deposition in the epidermal-dermal layer. By using a commercially available spray pump, DECN nanoparticles can be further translated into a spray formulation, which contributes to alleviating visible symptoms, skin lesions, and inflammatory progression of psoriasis and AD. This all-in-one spray nano-formulation offers an effective, safe, and convenient way for ISDs treatment.

Keywords

Inflammatory skin disorder / Epigallocatechin-3-gallate / Collagen tripeptide / Self-assembly / Nano-spray

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare that there is no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (32261143727, 82073779, 32000992), National Key Research and Development Program of China (2018YFA0901800), Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province Distinguished Young Scholar Program, LR21H300002). The authors acknowledge Dr. Tao Wan for the technical guidance of this work.

Supplementary materials

Supplementary material associated with this article can be found, in the online version, at doi:10.1016/j.ajps.2025.101067. The figures and tables with " S " before the serial number are included in the Supplementary material.

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