Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal最新文献

{"title":"Exploring the pivotal role of hot melt extrusion technology in developing PLGA based novel drug delivery platforms for better therapeutic outcomes.","authors":"Mashan Almutairi, Reem Hammad Almuhwes, Joud Abdulkarim Alshammari, Haneen Fahad Alsleem, Ghala Naif Algharbi, Yazed S Alsowaida, Sultan Almuntashiri, Ahmed Alobaida","doi":"10.1007/s44446-026-00096-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44446-026-00096-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Among various biodegradable polymers, polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) is one of most widely studied synthetic polymer for controlled and targeted drug delivery. PLGA is a smart polymer as it has stimuli-responsive behaviour. PLGA is approved by the US FDA for multiple therapeutic applications due to its biodegradability, biocompatibility and sustained-release behaviour. PLGA is commercially available as different molecular weights and copolymer ratios, which allow for tuning polymer behaviour to suit numerous applications. Different methods have been used to process PLGA into diverse morphologies, structures and sizes. Traditional PLGA processing methods face many limitations related to scalability and residual solvents. This review was limited to the emerging hot melt extrusion (HME), a more specific, solvent-free and highly scalable technology for fabricating PLGA-based formulations. Key operational parameters such as glass transition temperature, melt viscosity, and degradation behaviour are discussed alongside with the drug-related stability, dispersion and final solid-state properties that need several factors to be fine-tuned to offer a performance with optimal efficiency. This tunability of characteristics makes PLGA driven by HME ideal for fabrication with advanced manufacturing technologies to deliver surprisingly novel drug delivery platforms that can boost therapeutic efficacy and patient compliance across a range of clinical fields.</p>","PeriodicalId":49257,"journal":{"name":"Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13315083/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148347064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fisetin alleviates pulmonary arterial hypertension by inhibiting the TGF-β1/Smad 2/3 signaling pathway.","authors":"Yanhong Xu, Shiwei Kang, Xiaowei Gong, Yadong Yuan","doi":"10.1007/s44446-026-00092-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44446-026-00092-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a refractory cardiopulmonary disorder with a high mortality rate and few treatment options. Fisetin, a natural flavonoid, exhibits pleiotropic effects including anti-angiogenic, anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, and autophagy-modulating activities. To evaluate the therapeutic potential of Fisetin, we established two experimental models: a rat model of monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and a platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC) proliferation model. The therapeutic efficacy and underlying mechanisms of Fisetin were comprehensively assessed using a combination of in vivo and in vitro approaches, including right heart catheterization, masson's trichrome and hematoxylin-eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, westernblot, immunofluorescence, ELISA, and transmission electron microscopy. Additionally, Protein-protein docking predicts interactions between proteins, whereas molecular docking predicts interactions between small molecules and proteins. Fisetin significantly ameliorated pulmonary vascular remodeling and reduced both right ventricular systolic pressure and the right ventricular hypertrophy index in monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PAH rats. The underlying mechanism may involve suppression of the TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathway, which regulates autophagy, cell proliferation, migration, and inflammatory responses. In vitro, Fisetin exerted a dose-dependent suppressive effect on these molecular events. This study suggests that Fisetin may alleviate MCT-induced PAH rats by suppressing aberrant TGF-β1/Smad2/3 pathway activation. These findings provide experimental and theoretical support for Fisetin as a promising therapeutic candidate for PAH.</p>","PeriodicalId":49257,"journal":{"name":"Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13305101/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148320365","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ramucirumab induces apoptosis in Caco-2 cells via mitochondrial impairment and caspase activation.","authors":"Amal M Al-Dogmi, Khalid Mashay Al-Anazi, Wajhul Qamar, Mohammad Abul Farah","doi":"10.1007/s44446-026-00094-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44446-026-00094-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ramucirumab, a monoclonal antibody that targets vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2), is primarily known for its ability to inhibit angiogenesis in a variety of cancer types. Its direct cytotoxic mechanisms in colorectal cancer cells, especially those related to mitochondrial dysfunction and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated apoptosis, are inadequately elucidated. This work aims to examine the involvement of mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and caspase activation in mediating ramucirumab induced cytotoxicity in Caco-2 cells. MTT (3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) tests were used to measure cell viability and cytotoxicity, respectively by exposing Caco-2 cells to ramucirumab for 24 h. Flow cytometry was used to analyze apoptosis and cell cycle distribution. Hoechst 33342, rhodamine 123 and carboxy-H₂DCFDA staining was used to examine nuclear condensation, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and intracellular ROS, respectively. Additionally, the expression of the apoptotic markers caspase-3 and caspase-7, and levels of VEGF was quantified. Ramucirumab enhanced the release of LDH, and significantly (p < 0.05) decreased cell viability with increasing concentration and IC₅₀ value was estimated as 780 µg/ ml. A significant (p < 0.05) increase in the apoptotic cell population and cell cycle arrest primarily at the S-phase was observed. Nuclear condensation and fragmentation were observed and mitochondrial membrane potential was found to be decreased, indicating mitochondrial dysfunction. Additionally, oxidative stress (ROS) and VEGF was elevated and cleaved caspase-3 and caspase-7 were significantly upregulated, indicating caspase-mediated apoptosis. In conclusion, by causing cell cycle arrest and inducing apoptosis via mitochondrial malfunction and caspase pathway activation, ramucirumab demonstrates anti-cancer action against Caco-2 cells. These findings provide new perspectives on ramucirumab's wider anti-tumor potential beyond angiogenesis inhibition.</p>","PeriodicalId":49257,"journal":{"name":"Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13280315/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148279610","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the Landscape of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) among Multiple Sclerosis Patients in Riyadh: Types, Patterns, Health Implications, and Social Drivers - A Cross‑Sectional Study.","authors":"Tahani M Aljohani, Gadah A Al-Hamoud","doi":"10.1007/s44446-026-00091-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44446-026-00091-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This cross-sectional study examines the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Riyadh. A survey was conducted among 151 multiple sclerosis patients enrolled at the neurology clinics of two hospitals in Riyadh (KSUMC and KFMC). The study indicated that a significant majority of respondents (60.93%) used complementary and alternative medicine, demonstrating a pronounced preference for religious-spiritual modalities, including Islamic ruqyah and cupping therapy, in addition to other practices such as massage, oils, dietary supplements, honey, and herbal remedies. The findings underscore the importance of symptom alleviation, optimism about a cure or a delay in disease progression, and social sources of support (from family, healthcare professionals, and the media) in driving decisions to use CAM. The results showed an association between educational level, marital status, and CAM use. Additionally, many patients did not disclose their CAM use to their physicians or pharmacists, either because they perceived it as insignificant or because they did not receive sufficient prompting to disclose it. This highlights the need for more proactive, non‑judgmental communication from healthcare practitioners about CAM, as well as targeted training to improve patients' understanding of potential interactions between CAM and conventional treatments.</p>","PeriodicalId":49257,"journal":{"name":"Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13264639/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148254124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Perceived service quality scale for community pharmacies: tool translation of the short form and service quality exploration.","authors":"Norah O Abanmy, Carl R Schneider, Stephen R Carter","doi":"10.1007/s44446-026-00095-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44446-026-00095-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and aim: </strong>In the community pharmacy sector the concept of service quality is important. Pharmacists working in these settings provide useful services that go beyond merely dispensing medications. This study aimed to translate the short Perceived Service Quality Scale (PSQS-SF) to Arabic and to use this scale to assess the determinants of service quality of community pharmacies in relation to competitively priced high quality service and loyalty intention.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A pre-validated short Perceived Service Quality Scale (pSQS-A-SF) was translated from English to Arabic, validated and approved by the original authors. The scale consisted of six questions assessing pharmacy service quality, two questions evaluating the perception of price competitiveness, and three questions measuring loyalty intentions. All of the items were rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Community pharmacy users have been approached to answer the survey and descriptive statistics were reported.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The pSQS-SF was successfully translated and culturally adapted to Arabic context (pSQS-A-SF) with minor modifications. A total of 207 respondents completed the survey. Perceived service quality was rated highly across most items, whereas perceptions of price competitiveness were lower. In confirmatory factor analysis, the measurement model showed improved fit after minor modification (deletion of one service-quality item), with acceptable factor loadings and composite reliability, although average variance extracted was marginal. Service quality was strongly correlated with loyalty intentions. In the structural model, higher perceived service quality predicted greater patronage loyalty (β=0.26, p=0.023) and prescription loyalty (β=0.41, p=0.002), while price competitiveness did not significantly predict loyalty outcomes; private health insurance showed a small positive association with patronage loyalty (β=0.156, p=0.022).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The Arabic version of the perceived service quality short-form demonstrates preliminary evidence of construct validity and reliability and can support evaluation of patient experience in Saudi community pharmacies. Perceived service quality-rather than price competitiveness-was linked with self-reported patronage loyalty in this sample. Further research should strengthen validation (including discriminant validity and broader sampling) and assess performance across settings and subgroups.</p>","PeriodicalId":49257,"journal":{"name":"Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13263359/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148228848","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"TPC2 regulates proteomic remodeling, bioenergetic phenotypes, and mitochondrial stress adaptation in melanoma.","authors":"Homood M As Sobeai, Ali Hanbashi, Lama Binobaid, Khalid Alhazzani, Sarah M Almufadhili, Ahmed Altuwaijri, Rashed Almousa, Faroq Kamli, Sulaiman S Alhudaithi, Moureq Alotaibi, John Parrington","doi":"10.1007/s44446-026-00088-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44446-026-00088-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Melanoma is a highly heterogeneous malignancy in which tumor behavior is shaped by complex signaling, trafficking, and metabolic programs. Two-pore channel 2 (TPC2), an endolysosomal ion channel, has been implicated in pigmentation, vesicular trafficking, and cancer-related cellular processes, but its role in melanoma remains incompletely understood. In this study, we investigated the impact of TPC2 loss in two melanoma models, the human cell line CHL-1 and the murine cell line B16, using previously validated CRISPR/Cas9-generated TPC2 knockout cells. Proteomic profiling, pathway enrichment analysis, extracellular flux measurements, and mitochondrial membrane potential assessment were used to define the molecular and functional consequences of TPC2 deletion. Proteomic analysis revealed marked but distinct changes in protein expression in CHL-1 and B16 cells, with clear separation between wild-type and TPC2 KO proteomic profiles in both models. Functional enrichment analysis showed that CHL-1 cells were preferentially associated with pathways related to metabolic regulation, morphogenesis, intracellular transport, extracellular matrix organization, and signaling networks including WNT and TGF-β, whereas B16 cells were enriched in immune/interferon-related pathways, protein homeostasis, intracellular trafficking, and stress-response programs. Bioenergetic profiling demonstrated that TPC2 KO altered cellular metabolism in a cell line-dependent manner. In CHL-1 cells, TPC2 loss reduced basal oxygen consumption rate (OCR) and the OCR/ extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) ratio, but enhanced oxidative adaptation under glucose-free conditions. In contrast, B16 TPC2 KO cells displayed increased OCR and ECAR under basal conditions, consistent with a more energetically active phenotype. Despite these differences in basal bioenergetics, TPC2 KO preserved mitochondrial membrane potential under stress in both cell lines, indicating enhanced mitochondrial stress resilience. Collectively, these findings identify TPC2 as a context-dependent regulator of melanoma cell physiology that influences proteomic remodeling, metabolic adaptation, and mitochondrial function. These results support further investigation of TPC2 as a potential therapeutic target in melanoma, while emphasizing that its biological effects depend on cellular context.</p>","PeriodicalId":49257,"journal":{"name":"Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13237393/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148165270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Design, optimization and characterization of mucoadhesive buccal film as a novel delivery system for doxazosin mesylate.","authors":"Nidhal Khazaal Maraie, Ali N Wannas","doi":"10.1007/s44446-026-00087-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44446-026-00087-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Doxazosin mesylate is a selective α1-adrenergic receptor antagonist with low oral bioavailability due to poor aqueous solubility and extensive first-pass hepatic metabolism. This study aimed to design and optimize a doxazosin mucoadhesive buccal film to overcome hepatic metabolism and enable rapid drug onset. The buccal films were prepared by solvent casting, using a Plackett-Burman design to screen formulation variables affecting ex vivo mucoadhesive force, followed by a 2² full factorial design to optimize in vitro drug release by varying the concentrations of HPMC, the main film-forming polymer, and glycerin, a plasticizer. The prepared films were characterized for physico-mechanical properties, surface pH, mucoadhesive force, swelling properties, and drug release. In addition, the optimized formula was further characterized by scanning electron microscopy and ex vivo permeation study. The screening study showed that mucoadhesive strength ranged from 28 to 41 g, with the polymer type, polymer concentration, plasticizer type, and plasticizer concentration identified as the most influential variables. The optimized formula (FF3), containing 66 w/w% HPMC K15M and 21 w/w% glycerin, achieved 100% drug release within 15 min with acceptable film properties, in addition, SEM analysis showed a relatively uniform and compact surface with slight undulations, furthermore the ex vivo permeation reached 91% within 15 min, corresponding to a cumulative permeated amount of 1820 µg, a cumulative amount per unit area of 2275 µg/cm², and an estimated steady-state flux of 12750 µg/cm²/h. It was concluded that the developed buccal film is a promising system for improving doxazosin bioavailability and providing rapid therapeutic onset.</p>","PeriodicalId":49257,"journal":{"name":"Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13234082/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148151873","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Botulinum neurotoxin: from molecular pathogenesis to emerging countermeasures.","authors":"Sultan Almudimeegh","doi":"10.1007/s44446-026-00090-2","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44446-026-00090-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Botulism is a severe neuroparalytic syndrome caused by botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs)-among the most potent biological agents-with an estimated human lethal dose (LD₅₀) of approximately 1 ng/kg. By cleaving soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins at cholinergic nerve terminals, BoNTs block acetylcholine release, producing potentially fatal flaccid paralysis. Despite advances in supportive care, current therapeutic options remain limited to antitoxin administration, which is effective only against circulating toxin and cannot neutralize intracellular BoNT. Consequently, patients often require prolonged mechanical ventilation and rehabilitation. To address these limitations, this review provides a comprehensive overview of botulism, spanning historical recognition, structural and mechanistic insights into BoNT activity, clinical manifestations, and current treatment strategies, while highlighting therapeutic gaps. Particular emphasis is placed on emerging preclinical interventions, including small-molecule inhibitors, antibody-based therapeutics, intracellular clearance strategies, and gene- and RNA-based modalities, reflecting rapid progress in structural biology and pharmacology. Collectively, these advances highlight both the promise and the remaining translational challenges of developing next-generation countermeasures, with implications for clinical management and biodefense preparedness.</p>","PeriodicalId":49257,"journal":{"name":"Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13230462/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148145222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How do senior pharmacy students at King Saud University perceive their pharmaceutical calculation skills and preparedness for clinical practice?","authors":"Njoud Altuwaijri, Rawan Fitaihi, Alanoud M Altalal, Fai Alkathiri, Alyaa Alsalhi, Samiah Alhabardi, Eram Eltahir, Rihaf Alfaraj","doi":"10.1007/s44446-026-00093-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44446-026-00093-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pharmaceutical calculations are a core competency in pharmacy education and are essential for patient safety and effective clinical care. In the context of pharmacy education, diverse delivery and assessment strategies exist, and there are ongoing modifications to the pharmacy education landscape. This study explored the perceptions, confidence levels, and educational experiences of senior PharmD students regarding their pharmaceutical calculation skills and perceived preparedness for clinical practice. A qualitatively driven mixed-methods design was employed. A structured, anonymous survey comprising Likert-scale and open-ended questions was distributed to all fifth-year PharmD students at KSU (N = 141). A total of 141 complete responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Chi-square test, and the Mann-Whitney U test for quantitative data, as well as thematic analysis for qualitative responses. The results revealed that most students (76.9%) reported positive experience with pharmaceutical calculations, and 79% indicated that extra academic support was available. The mode confidence rating was 5 (very confident), with a median of 4, suggesting a generally high self-reported perceived confidence. No statistically significant gender differences were observed in terms of confidence or experience. Students predominantly relied on digital tools (e.g., ChatGPT, YouTube, Excel) rather than traditional academic resources, and the majority expressed a desire for more real-world applications and practice-based learning. In summary, while students reported high perceived confidence in their pharmaceutical calculation abilities, many expressed uncertainties about their real-world relevance. These findings highlight the importance of practice-based, context-driven instruction, and the thoughtful integration of digital learning tools to enhance students' perceived relevance and engagement with pharmaceutical calculations.</p>","PeriodicalId":49257,"journal":{"name":"Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13219553/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148044607","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Anti-psoriatic potential of nanocarrier formulated with Deverra tortuosa DC. and Deverra triradiata hochst aerial extracts: in vivo evaluation in mice.","authors":"Reem A Kamel, Asmaa A Ahmed, Mohammed S Teiama, Sabah H Elgayed, Mohamed A Khattab, Magda T Ibrahim, Doaa Abouelenein, Giovanni Caprioli, Ahmed M Mustafa, Elsayed K El-Sayed, Fatma A Moharram","doi":"10.1007/s44446-026-00086-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s44446-026-00086-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune skin disorder marked by rapid skin cell proliferation, causing red, scaly patches. Current treatments often show limited efficacy and adverse effects. The family Apiaceae is traditionally valued for its medicinal uses, particularly anti-inflammatory effects, and among its members are Deverra tortuosa (Desf.) DC. (D. tortuosa) and Deverra triradiata Hochst. ex Bioss. (D. triradiata) with recognized therapeutic value. As nanotechnology-based formulations enhance skin penetration and therapeutic efficacy, this study investigated the antipsoriatic activity of plant-based nanocreams (NCs). Phenolic content of D. tortuosa and D. triradiata aerial parts was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Nanoparticles were prepared with droplet sizes of 300-470 nm and a positive surface charge. Mice were divided into five groups: control (cream base), imiquimod (IMQU; 62.5 mg/day for 7 days), a commonly used inducer of psoriasis-like dermatitis, standard (tacrolimus 20 mg/kg/day, 2 h after IMQU), IMQU + D. triradiata NC (2% once daily, 2 h after IMQU), and IMQU + D. tortuosa NC (2% once daily, 2 h after IMQU). D. tortuosa and D. triradiata NCs significantly alleviated IMQU-induced systemic and skin-related psoriatic changes in mice by reducing spleen index, inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-17 (IL-17), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), as well as nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3), and Ki-67 expression. Histological analysis confirmed marked restoration of normal skin architecture, with D. tortuosa showing the highest therapeutic efficacy. These findings suggest that D. tortuosa and D. triradiata NCs possess promising anti-psoriatic potential, through immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory mechanisms, with D. tortuosa demonstrating superior efficacy. They may serve as effective natural alternatives to conventional psoriasis treatments.</p>","PeriodicalId":49257,"journal":{"name":"Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal","volume":"34 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.3,"publicationDate":"2026-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13212808/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148036804","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}