A polysaccharide-based hydrogel as a green platform for enhancing transdermal delivery

The potential role of using carrageenan/locust bean gum (coded as kappa C: LBG) hydrogel to enhance transdermal delivery of hydrophilic actives was investigated in this study. To this purpose, kappa C: LBG hydrogel embedded with arbutin (coded as kappa C:LBG:AR) was investigated for their viscosity, physical-chemical, thermal and morphological properties, in vitro cytotoxicity, and release profile, and the in vivo performance was compared to arbutin cream. The kappa C:LBG:AR hydrogel showed viscosity values higher than those found in kappa C:LBG. Overall, both hydrogels demonstrated smooth surfaces and are cytocompatible in vitro. DSC showed that kappa C:LBG:AR hydrogel enhanced transdermal delivery through the skin by changing the structural organization of the lipid bilayer. The kappa C:LBG:AR hydrogel showed a significant increase in skin hydration and reduction in the melanin index as compared with commercial cream. These findings suggest that KC:LBG hydrogel possesses great potential to be used as a green platform for enhancing transdermal delivery.