Development of an α-bisabolol-modified natural oil-based self-emulsifying drug delivery system for enhanced topical delivery of hydrocortisone acetate in a DNCB-induced atopic dermatitis-like mouse model.

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder associated with barrier dysfunction and immune dysregulation. This study developed an α-bisabolol-modified oil-based self-emulsifying drug delivery system containing hydrocortisone acetate (HA-SEDDS) and compared it with a commercial HA cream. The optimized formulation contained camellia/pumpkin seed oil, Tween 80, Transcutol HP, 0.1% α-bisabolol, and 0.5% HA. HA-SEDDS self-emulsified within 15 s, producing ~200 nm droplets with good drug loading and thermodynamic stability. At 24 h, cumulative HA permeation across Strat-M® was significantly higher with HA-SEDDS than with coarse HA dispersion (approximately 4.8-fold) and comparable to that with the commercial cream. Ex vivo pig ear skin imaging demonstrated deeper penetration of SEDDS (~600 μm vs ~200 μm). In DNCB-induced AD-like mice, HA-SEDDS reduced skin lesions, ear thickness, IgE, and IL-6 levels. Its therapeutic efficacy was comparable to that of a commercial HA cream, supporting its potential for topical AD treatment.

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