Berberine Chloride Dihydrate Enthused Nanovesicles for the Management of Dermatitis Nanovesicles for Dermatitis

Abstract

Background: Dermatitis is a common inflammatory skin disease that is affecting up to 25% of children and 1%-3% of adults worldwide. The paucity of the exact cure for dermatitis and untoward side effects of topical immunosuppressive steroids, has resulted in a great need for making use of complementary medicine to treat dermatitis. Objective: The present research work involved the development of Berberine chloride dihydrate (BCD) enthused nanovesicles i.e. ethosomes for the management of dermatitis. Method: Ethosomes were prepared by slight modification of cold method using varying concentrations of SPC (1-3%) and ethanol (10-40%) Optimized batch BCD 12 was further added to Carbopol 934P for gel formation. GEL BCD 12 was subjected to “anti-bacterial, dermatitis and skin irritation study. Result: The vesicles were in size range 142.42-398.31 nm while polydispersity index (PDI) ranges from 0.114-1.56 and for zeta potential it was from-18.8 to -39.4. Entrapment efficiency was from 46.05-88.79 %. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed penetration depth of rhodamine enthused ethosome across rat skin upto 110 µm which was significantly higher than rhodamine solution (10 µm). In the anti-bacterial study, BCD loaded ethosomal gel (EG) showed maximum zone of inhibition of 18.5 mm against E. coli, 14.5 mm against P. aeruginosa and 23.0 mm against S. aureus. In dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) induced mice dermatitis model histopathology study showed marked decrease in amount of inflammatory cell nucleus in mice treated with BCD loaded ethosomal gel followed by 56% and 50 % increase in ear swelling and ear mass respectively in morphology study. Conventional marketed formulation showed nominal decrease in epidermal thickness, 66.67 % increase in ear thickness and 63.64 % increase in ear mass. Further Primary irritation index was less than 0.4 indicating negligible irritation in all the groups. Conclusion: It can be concluded that ethosomal gel is not only an efficient carrier for BCD but also proves its potential for the management of dermatitis.