Curcumin/Fusidic Acid Bitherapy Loaded Mixed Micellar Nanogel for Acne Vulgaris Treatment: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies

Abstract

The combination of herbal drugs with a topical antibacterial for managing a chronic disease like acne vulgaris has emerged lately to settle side efects and bacterial multidrug resistance. Mixed micelles (MMs) incorporated into nanogel were explored for hybrid delivery of curcumin (Cur) and fusidic acid (FA) combination presenting a multi-strategic treatment. Curcumin- fusidic acid–loaded mixed micelles (Cur-FA-MMs) were assessed for size, surface charge, compatibility, in vitro release, and encapsulation. The selected formula was further loaded into nanogel and investigated for viscosity, ex vivo permeation, and in vivo potential. Cur-FA-MMs exhibited uniform nanosized spherical morphology, and negative surface charge aford- ing high encapsulation for both drugs with a biphasic in vitro release over a period of 48h and good colloidal stability. The attained Cur-FA-MM-loaded nanogel had optimum viscosity with remarkable permeation coefcient values nearly 2-fold that related to plain nanogel. The pharmacodynamic efect of Cur on FA was pronounced by the signifcant improvement of the skin’s degree of infammation, epidermal hypertrophy, and congestion in animals treated with Cur-FA-MM-loaded nanogel. In conclusion, micellar nanogel could enable the progressive efect of Cur (an antioxidant with reported antibiotic activity) on FA (antibiotic) and decrease the risk of emerging antibiotic resistance by enhancing the solubility and permeation of Cur.