Enhanced transdermal efficiency of curcumin-loaded peptide-modified liposomes for highly effective antipsoriatic therapy

Psoriasis is one of the most influential and fastest-growing inflammatory diseases of the skin. Curcumin (CRC) is an effective antipsoriatic drug that is often carried by nanoparticles or liposomes mainly administered via the skin. However, the therapeutic effectiveness and bioavailability of this drug are restricted due to the functions of the skin barrier to liposomes. Herein, we proposed a peptide-modified curcumin-loaded liposome (CRC–TD–Lip) to expedite the transdermal delivery of curcumin and enhance the inhibition of psoriasis. CRC–TD–Lip was prepared and dispersed uniformly with high stability and high curcumin encapsulation efficiency. We confirmed the improved intracellular uptake of CRC–TD–Lip, the increased inhibitory effect of CRC–TD–Lip on HaCaT cells, and the heightened transdermal ability of CRC–TD–Lip. Then, the enhanced antipsoriatic ability of CRC–TD–Lip was evaluated in vivo using an imiquimod-induced psoriasis mouse model. The results indicated that the developed CRC–TD–Lip can effectively improve the delivery of curcumin across the skin and enhance the antipsoriasis efficiency. This work can provide a strategy for enhancing the transdermal delivery efficiency of drugs for various skin diseases.