A drug delivery perspective on nanotechnology-based topical therapeutics for inflammatory skin diseases

Abstract

Inflammatory skin diseases are chronic conditions that significantly affect patients' skin health and quality of life. Traditional treatments, including systemic immunosuppressants and topical therapies, often face limitations such as low efficacy, inadequate skin penetration, and severe side effects. Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising solution to tackle these challenges by providing innovative drug delivery systems that not only enhance therapeutic precision but also reduce systemic exposure. This review highlights the technological innovations and pre-clinical potential of nanotechnology-based therapies in managing inflammatory skin diseases, emphasizing their advantages over conventional treatments and their ability to overcome existing therapeutic limitations. Drug delivery nanosystems like lipid, polymeric, and metallic nanocarriers can be designed to penetrate the skin barrier and deliver drugs directly to the affected tissues. These nanocarriers improve drug stability, bioavailability, and retention in target areas while minimizing adverse effects. Furthermore, nanoparticles can be functionalized with bioadhesive molecules (e.g. hyaluronic acid) to achieve targeted and sustained drug release. In preclinical studies, such advanced formulations have demonstrated the potential to modulate immune responses and reduce inflammation by delivering therapeutics in a controlled and localized manner.