Fabrication of Emulsion Loaded with Cyclosporine and Moringa Oleifera Oil Potentially for Topical Psoriasis Treatment

Abstract

Psoriasis is a widespread autoimmune inflammatory dermatological disease treated with oral cyclosporine to reduce the uneasiness of psoriasis. However, systemic therapy of cyclosporine is associated with high risk of side effect that limit the usage in psoriasis treatment. Topical delivery of cyclosporine is believed could overcome cyclosporine related toxicity issues. In this study, a new carrier for topical cyclosporine was developed, which cooperated with Moringa oleifera oil (MOO) that has been reported could enhance the moisture-retaining of the skin. Both high-shear homogenizer and overhead stirrer homogenizer were utilized in formulating a cyclosporine-loaded emulsion carrier. Two emulsions were prepared at different proportions of MOO, water and surfactant (Tween80:Span80) based on the constructed ternary phase diagram. Samples with different formulation (E1 and E2) were subjected to several tests including the stability, rheological, colony and in vitro release analysis. E1 and E2 possessed good stability against phase separation for 1 month at different storage temperatures (4, 25 and 40ºC), having pH values within the range of 4 to 5 as well as showing no mould and microbial growth after been incubated on nutrient agar plate at controlled conditions. Optimized formulations were found to be non-Newtonian and followed the pseudoplastic flow behaviour. Nonetheless, E2 exhibited highest permeation of cyclosporine (80.23%) through cellulose acetate membrane via Franz diffusion cell, which correspond to controlled release and best fitted to first order kinetic behaviour (R2=0.9819). This preliminary study suggested that the formulated emulsion has a promising potential as topical medicament for psoriasis.