Evaluation of the potential of nanostructured systems stabilized with polyether functional siloxane for cutaneous administration of methotrexate

Abstract

Methotrexate (MTX) is an immunosuppressant used systemically to treat psoriasis. Despite its effectiveness, presents a series of adverse effects, among which is the most serious the hepatotoxicity. Thus, topical administration would be desirable to find it on their site of action while avoiding adverse systemic effects. However, physical and chemical properties, such as limited water solubility, hindering their efficiency topical therapy, since it has low penetration in the skin. Colloidal systems such as microemulsions and liquid crystals have been used with success in the pharmaceutical area because they has the ability to compartmentalize, efficiently, several groups of active and modify their properties and behavior in biological environment. Our research group has studied colloidal systems promising for drug delivery, mainly constituted of polyether functional siloxane, which form lamellar phase systems in contact with excess water, behaving as a viscous gel that can be used to obtain devices for modified release of drugs. So, nanostructured systems have proven advantageous in the topical administration of various substances mainly due to its characteristics of interaction with the stratum corneum and other layers of the skin and the ability to score with a protective effect of the drug and sustained release. In this project aims to assess the potential of nanostructured systems stabilized with polyether functional siloxane for topical administration of MTX. Thus, it is expected to develop a delivery system for MTX in nanostructural level that optimizes their use in topical therapy of psoriasis. (AU)