Pharmaceutical system containing Arrabidaea chica extract for use in skin disease

Arrabidaea chica Verlot is employed in Brazilian folk medicine for wound healing [1]. The formulation type for skin treatment is important because this may affect the mode of compound distribution. Liquid crystals (LC) are systems that can be formed by polar lipids reorganized into three-dimensional structures when in contact with water [2]. Herein LC prepared with ethoxylated and propoxylated cetyl alcohol (surfactant, T), oleic acid, 1-Methyl 2-pirrolidone (oil phase OP) and water (aqueous phase, AP) are reported. The S1 formulation contained 30% T, 20% OP and 50% AP. A. chica formulation, incorporated 2.5% crude extract in OP phase (F1) or incorporated in S1 system after 24 hours (F2). Rheological analyses were conducted using a cone-plate geometry with ˜50 mm diameter, with 0.9815 ° cone angle at plate temperature of 32 °C. Steady shear tests with rates from 0.01 to 100 were performed. Small amplitude oscillatory shear tests were performed using a strain amplitude of 0.05% within an angular frequency range of 0.1 to 200 (rad/s, in triplicate). The microstructure was analyzed with an optical microscope in the bright field and under polarized light. Cell viability and migration assay was performed using a HaCat human keratinocytes. The A. chica crude extract at 2.5 µg mL^-1 showed cell proliferation of 75% and migration of 85%, demonstrating its promising activity. The LC structures obtained were hexagonal and were able to form an organized mesophase with the incorporation of A. chica extract [3]. Both formulations (F1 and F2) showed G'> G” at low frequencies, which is typical of a semi solid behavior, indicating the formulations gel properties, as indicated in the figure below.

The results showed that the extract incorporation decreased the elasticity, but maintained the viscous behavior. Data reported herein support that liquid crystals can be considered for the preparation of A. chica pharmaceutical systems for wound healing.

Acknowledgements: FAPESP, CNPq,.

Keywords: Arrabidaea chica, rheology, liquid crystal, wound healing.

References:

[1] Jorge MP, Madjarof C, Gois Ruiz AL, Fernandes AT, Ferreira Rodrigues RA, de Oliveira Sousa IM, Foglio MA, de Carvalho JE. Evaluation of wound healing properties of Arrabidaea chica Verlot extract. J Ethnopharmacol 2008; 188: 361 – 366

[2] Estracanholli EA, Praça FS, Cintra AB, Pierre MB, Lara MG. Liquid crystalline systems for transdermal delivery of celecoxib: in vitro drug release and skin permeation studies. AAPS Pharm Sci Tech on line publication 2014; 15: 1468 – 1475

[3] Fan J, Liu F, Wang Z. Shear rheology and in vitro release kinetic study of apigenin from lyotropic liquid crystal. Int J Pharm 2016; 497: 248 – 254