Skip to main content
. 2020 Apr 26;12(5):396. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12050396

Table 1.

Application of hydrogels in the treatment of skin diseases.

Type of Skin Disorder Type of Hydrogel Agent Animal Model/Cell Line/Microorganism Mechanism of Action References
Acne adhesive hydrogel patches Triclosan (TS) in vitro:
- female hairless mice skin (type SKH)
- antimicrobial effect of TS containing patches against P. acnes in the 0.01–0.3 wt.% concentration range in vitro
- a significant increase in the amount of TS transported in hairless mouse skins
[38]
Acne vulgaris clindamycin/tretinoin hydrogel combination of clindamycin (1%) and tretinoin (0.025%) clinical study:
-randomized, double-blind multicenter clinical studies on male and female subjects
- greater reduction in the number of inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions in the combined group compared to the other three treatment groups
- significantly shorter response time (time to 50% reduction in the total lesion counts)
- good tolerance of the fixed combination of clindamycin and tretinoin
- significantly greater improvements in acne vulgaris
[61]
Acne vularis
(facial)
liposomal methylene blue hydrogel methylene blue in vitro:
- mice skin
clinical study:
- randomized, controlled and investigator blinded study on 13 patients
- significant reduction in the number of inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne lesions
- moderate to significant improvement in acne in treated areas
- no serious side effects
- no edema
- only slight temporary discoloration in three patients
- selective delivery of BM(methylene blue) to sebaceous glands
[62]
Acne vulgaris
(truncal)
liposomal methylene blue hydrogel methylene blue clinical study:
- randomized and comparative study on 35 patients (21 males and 14 females) with varying degrees of acne vulgaris on the back
- significant reduction in the number of total, inflammatory and non-inflammatory lesions
- some side effects such as pain, staining, pruritus, stinging, and flaking
- greater efficiency LMB(Liposomal methylene blue)-intense pulsed light (IPL) than IPL alone
[70]
Acne vulgaris
(facial)
carboxymethylcellulose-based hydrogel resveratrol clinical study:
single-blind study on 20 patients (12 men and 8 women)
- reduction in the average area of microcomedones
- decrease in inflammation and pustular lesions
- no adverse effects
- visible clinical improvement on the resveratrol-treated side of the face
[71]
Mycosis hydroalcoholic hydrogel luliconazole in vitro:
- Candida albicans (MTCC No. 183)
ex vivo:
- dorsal male albino Wistar rat skin
- enhancement in solubility
- high skin retention
- antifungal activity
- increased dermal delivery
[80]
Mycosis microemulsion-based hydrogel bifonazole in vitro:
- Candida albicans
ex vivo:
- dorsal rat skin
in vivo:
- rabbits
- good stability of hydrogel over the period of three months
- antifungal activity
- sustained release of bifonazole
- permeability enhancement of drug
- improvement of solubility
[88]
Mycosis dextran-based hydrogel (amphogel) amphotericin B in vitro:
- Candida albicans
in vivo:
- male SV129 mice
- quick killing of fungi
- no survival of fungi with amphogels
- in vivo hydrogel biocompatibility
- prevention of fungal infection
- mitigation fungal biofilm formation
[89]
Mycosis dextran-aldehyde hydrogel amphotericin B in vitro:
- Candida albicansSC5314
in vivo:
- SV129 mice
- effectiveness in killing fungi on contact
- long-lasting antifungal activity
- biocompatibility
[91]
Mycosis bolalipid hydrogel methylene blue in vitro:
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae
- sustained drug release
- antifungal activity
- excellent biocompatibility
- high solidification capacity under body temperature conditions
[92]
Psoriasis supramolecular bis-imidazolium based amphiphile hydrogels - gemcitabine hydrochloride
- methotrexate sodium salt,
- tacrolimus,
- betamethasone 17-valerate
- triamcinolone acetonide
ex vivo:
- human excised skin
in vivo:
- male Swiss CD-1 mice with induced inflammation and hyperplasia
- suitable viscoelastic properties of the obtained hydrogel for topical drug delivery
- significant influence of contained drugs on gel morphology at the microscopic level
- protection of the drug by the hydrogel against degradation,
- induction of exponential drug release
- promotion of the drug penetration and retention in the skin
- greater reduction of hyperplasia and macroscopic tissue damage in vivo compared to drug solutions
[103]
Psoriasis carbomer hydrogel bearing nanostructured lipid carriers methotrexate in vitro:
- Wistar stain albino rat skin
in vivo:
- rabbits
- effective incorporation of the drug into nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) and solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN) hydrogel structures
- reduction of drug release during storage
- significant reduction in skin irritation in rabbits
[112]
Psoriasis hydrogel transformed from microemulsion using Carbopol 934 - betamethasone dipropionate
- salicylic acid
in vitro:
- rat abdominal skin
in vivo:
- Wistar rats
- sustained and good anti-inflammatory activity
- good stability, powerful permeation ability. and suitable viscosity of hydrogel
- sustained drug release for the desired period of time
- reduced dosing frequency
[113]
Psoriasis nanostructured lipid carrier based topical hydrogel - mometasone furoate in vitro:
- cellulose membrane
ex vivo:
- Wistar rats’ abdominal skin
in vivo:
- BALB/c female mice
- sustained release of mometasone furoate
- negligible skin irritation
- marked reduction in psoriatic lesions
- lesser skin blackening
- significant reduction of hyperkeratosis, parakeratosis, and hyperplasia
[114]
Psoriasis hydrogel patch - clinical study:
- men and women with plaque-type psoriasislesions
- intrinsic adhesion of the hydrogel
- cooling and soothing properties
- itching relief
- safety and ease of use
- no serious adverse events
[115]
Psoriasis hydrogel micropatch - clinical study:
- 100 psoriatic patients (75 men and 25 women) and 100 healthy volunteers
- the ability to analyze skin excretions using the hydrogel micropatch sampling approach combined with mass spectrometry
- the possibility of using hydrogels as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for skin diseases
- the ability to detect various skin biomarkers specific for psoriasis through the use of hydrogel micropatch
[116]