Nano intervention in topical delivery of corticosteroid for psoriasis and atopic dermatitis—a systematic review

Atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis are highly prevalent, complex, chronic inflammatory skin diseases that immensly affect the patient’s quality of life. While there is no definitive cure for these conditions, suppressive medications aim at managing the symptoms of these diseases. The application of emollients accompanied by symptomatic anti-inflammatory therapy consisting of topical corticosteroids (TCS) is extensively employed for controlling the symptoms among general practitioners making this therapeutic class an indispensable pillar of dermatotherapeutics. The first TCS, hydrocortisone (HC) introduced in the early 1950s led to the development of different steroidal moieties of varying potencies by inducing chemical modifications to the basic steroid structure. The wide spectrum of the available range of formulations and potency provides flexibility to treat all patient groups, different phases of the diseases, and different anatomical sites. Conventional TCS therapy suffers from drawbacks such as low drug permeation and retention rate. Thus, novel nanoformulations have been developed to overcome these problems. This review provides an insight into the current state of nanocarrier-mediated topical delivery of corticosteroids monotherapy and combination therapy with special emphasis on targeting psoriasis and AD. Highlights Psoriasis and atopic dermatitis (AD) are highly prevalent and chronic skin disorders. Topical corticosteroids (TCS) is extensively utilized as a drug of choice for such diseases. Extensive research has been conducted to formulate and evaluate a nanocarrier-based drug delivery system. These TCS nanoformulations in combination therapy involving other therapeutic classes of drugs is also been extensively researched for effective disease management. This manuscript gives an insight into the nanotechnology-based topical formulations of corticosteroids intended for AD and psoriasis therapy.