Clay Minerals in Skin Drug Delivery

Abstract

Clays have played an important role in medicine since the dawn of mankind and are still applied widely as active ingredients and/or excipients in pharmaceutical formulations. Due to their outstanding properties of large retention capacity, swelling and rheological properties, and relative low cost, they have been used widely as advanced carriers for the efficient delivery of drugs by modifying their release (rate and/or time), increasing the stability of the drug, improving the dissolution profile of a drug, or enhancing their intestinal permeability. In addition, recent studies have shed new light on the potential of clay minerals in the nanomedicine field due to their biocompatibility, beneficial effects of clay nanoparticles on cellular adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation. Use as active ingredients and excipients are exerted via the oral and topical administration pathways. Skin drug delivery represents an attractive alternative to the oral route, providing local and/or systemic drug delivery. Due to their complex structures, however, most drugs penetrate the human skin only with difficulty. Enormous efforts have been invested, therefore, in developing advanced drug delivery systems able to overcome the skin barrier. Most strategies require the use of singular materials with new properties. In particular, and on the basis of their inherent properties, clay minerals are ideal candidates for the development of intelligent skin drug delivery systems. In this article, the properties of clay materials and their use in the skin-addressed pharmaceutical field are reviewed. A brief introduction of skin physiology and biopharmaceutical features of penetration by a drug through the skin layers is also included and is designed to shed light on the optimum properties of ideal nanosystems for advanced skin drug delivery. Special attention is devoted to the pharmacological functions of clays and their biomedical applications in pelotherapy, wound healing, regenerative medicine, antimicrobial, and dermocosmetics.

Evaluation of the Antimicrobial Protection of Pharmaceutical Kaolin and Talc Modified with Copper and Zinc

“…Clay minerals exhibit interest in the pharmaceutical industry mainly due to their physicochemical properties [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]. Since ancient times, they are well-known for their pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications [ 4 , 5 , 6 ].…”

“…Since ancient times, they are well-known for their pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. These are used either as active ingredients (showing healing properties) or as excipients (accompanying auxiliary substances) in various pharmaceutical and cosmetic preparations [ 3 ].…”

Carvacrol Prodrugs with Antimicrobial Activity Loaded on Clay Nanocomposites

“…The combination of clay minerals with other organic molecules (either active or not) produce compounds commonly known as nanohybrids. Several organic/inorganic nanohybrid systems were prepared with several drugs, improving the stability and/or solubility of the encapsulated molecules [24][25][26]. such as low water solubility (0.11 mg/mL) and high lipophilicity [7,8].…”

Detemplated and Pillared 2-Dimensional Zeolite ZSM-55 with Ferrierite Layer Topology as a Carrier for Drugs

“…One of the principal challenges of modern pharmaceutical technology is drug formulation aimed not only at the convenience of use, but also providing the optimal concentration of a drug at the site of action [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. In an ideal situation, the concentration should rapidly increase right after the application/ingestion and maintain a constant level over the time period required to achieve the desired therapeutic effect; afterwards the drug should be eliminated from the body [8,9].…”