Delivery of Sophora flavescens Ait. using a dissolving microneedle enables enhanced psoriasis treatment

Zihan Zhou; Jie Zhang; Yiwen Chen; Bingbing Wang; Ping Hou; Zifan Ding; Luzheng Zhang; Jianlin Wang; Nailiang Yang; Cong Yan

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Delivery of Sophora flavescens Ait. using a dissolving microneedle enables enhanced psoriasis treatment

Author: Zihan Zhou ¹ ; Jie Zhang ¹ ; Yiwen Chen ² ; Bingbing Wang ³ ; Ping Hou ⁴ ; Zifan Ding ¹ ; Luzheng Zhang ⁵ ; Jianlin Wang ¹ ; Nailiang Yang ⁴ ; Cong Yan ¹
Author Information

1. School of Life Sciences, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
2. School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
3. Modern Research Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
4. Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
5. Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: Soluble microneedle; Sophora flavescens Ait.; Psoriasis; Immune regulation; Drug delivery
From: Journal of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences 2025;2025(2):277-286
CountryChina
Language:English
Abstract: ObjectiveTo assess the efficiency of a Sophora flavescens Ait (S. flavescens, Ku Shen)-soluble microneedle (SFA-MN) for improving skin lesion symptoms in mice with psoriasis.MethodsSFA-MNs were prepared using a two-mold molding process with 20% w/v polyvinylpyrrolidone and 15% w/v polyvinyl alcohol. The SFA-MNs were assessed for morphology, mechanical properties, in vitro dissolution, identification of components, and skin lesion improvement in imiquimod-induced psoriasis mice.ResultsThe SFA-MNs demonstrated good mechanical properties for efficiently penetrating the dermis, facilitating efficient drug delivery. Furthermore, they effectively inhibited mast cell levels in the dorsal lesion area of psoriasis mice and reduced the expression of the T-lymphocyte factor cluster of differentiation 3 and tumor necrosis factor-α. In addition, this system alleviated skin inflammation, splenic swelling, and thymic atrophy in the psoriasis-like mouse model. Seven major components were detected from SFA-MNs by comparison of the mass-to-nucleus ratios (m/z) of the secondary fragments N-methylcytisine, 5α, 9α-dihydroxymatrine, sophoramine, matrine, oxysophocarpine, oxymatrine, and kushenol O.ConclusionThe drug delivery strategy combining traditional herbal S. flavescens with soluble microneedle technology provides more targeted and effective immune regulation for treating psoriasis-like mice models, enabling enhanced therapeutic effects compared with the control group.