Hydrogels: Stable Antibiotics in a Gel

At Wroclaw Medical University (WMU), projects are being carried out that have a real impact on the future of medicine. These are not always spectacular discoveries, but often studies that refine elements of therapy that are just as crucial as the active substance itself. Because the effectiveness of treatment depends not only on what we administer to patients, but also on how we deliver it. Today we present another project implemented within the “Young Science” nanogrants programme.

Dorota Sikora

Research by Dr Agnieszka Kostrzębska from the Department of Physical Chemistry and Biophysics at the Faculty of Pharmacy, Wroclaw Medical University, devoted to the stability of dermatological hydrogels and their interactions with antibiotics used in topical therapy, has received funding in the first edition of the “Young Science” nanogrants programme.

Over the past few years, hydrogels have been gaining increasing attention as convenient and well-tolerated carriers of active substances in dermatology. At the same time, topical antibiotics remain widely used in the treatment of acne and skin infections. As the researcher emphasises, it was precisely this convergence that became the direct inspiration for undertaking the study.

“The direct impulse was the growing popularity of hydrogels as carriers of active substances in dermatology, together with the persistently high use of topical antibiotics in the treatment of acne and skin infections,” explains Dr Kostrzębska.

The study will improve the quality and safety of products

From the patient’s perspective, the key aspects are the effectiveness of therapy, safety of use, and the stability of the preparation throughout its entire period of use. A product that loses predictability during storage may not only reduce treatment effectiveness but also increase the risk of skin irritation. From the perspective of the pharmaceutical and cosmetics markets, stability also means meeting specific quality requirements that modern formulations must satisfy. Manufacturers need assurance that active substances do not enter into unfavourable interactions with the base.

“Stability studies help reduce the risk of complaints, improve product quality and increase consumer trust,” the researcher notes.

The aim of the project is to assess the thermal properties and mutual interactions of dermatological hydrogels based on carbomer with antibiotics — tetracycline, doxycycline and clindamycin.

The research will employ differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), a technique that allows analysis of energy changes occurring in a sample during heating and cooling. This makes it possible to evaluate the physicochemical stability, structure and durability of hydrogels and to detect processes that often remain invisible in the finished product until they begin to cause problems.

“Differential scanning calorimetry is extremely important because it enables precise examination of energy changes occurring in a sample during heating or cooling,” emphasises Dr Kostrzębska.

As she adds, this method makes it possible to “see” processes that are difficult to detect using other techniques, such as the dehydration temperature of a hydrogel, phase transitions, thermal decomposition of components, or possible interactions between the antibiotic and the hydrogel matrix. Particularly important is the ability to detect even small shifts in thermal peaks, which may indicate undesirable reactions between components.

“This allows potential stability problems to be predicted earlier, before they appear in the finished preparation,” the young researcher notes.

Modern forms of topical drug delivery

The project involves evaluating changes that may directly affect the effectiveness and safety of dermatological preparations. In practice, this may include, for example, changes in viscosity that make application more difficult or cause uneven distribution of the active substance on the skin. Another potential issue is dehydration, which can lead to the gel drying out, loss of moisturising properties and reduced comfort of use. Destabilisation of the hydrogel network may also occur, resulting in separation of the preparation and uneven release of the antibiotic.

As Dr Kostrzębska emphasises, chemical interactions between ingredients may also be dangerous, potentially reducing drug activity or leading to the formation of degradation products with irritating effects.

“Such changes may result in reduced treatment effectiveness, increased risk of irritation and lower patient acceptance of the preparation,” she concludes.

An important part of the project will also be the analysis of thermal profiles after long-term storage. This will make it possible to assess the impact of environmental conditions and identify potential phase changes and destabilisation processes that only become apparent over time. The results will be used to select the most stable systems and optimise formulations of safe and effective dermatological preparations.

The research addresses current needs of the pharmaceutical and cosmetics markets related to the development of modern forms of topical drug delivery.

Standards of contemporary dermatology and cosmetology

Potential beneficiaries of the project include patients, physicians and the pharmaceutical and dermocosmetics industries.

“Patients will benefit the most from this research, as in the future they may gain access to preparations with greater effectiveness and a lower risk of adverse effects, while dermatologists will receive more reliable and predictable therapeutic tools,” says Dr Kostrzębska.

She adds that manufacturers of medicines and dermocosmetics may also benefit through the possibility of developing more stable and safer formulations, as well as research teams and laboratories designing new carrier systems for active substances.

In the longer term, the results of the study may contribute to the development of modern topical medicines with controlled release of active substances, greater stability and improved skin tolerance. This is a direction that increasingly defines the standards of contemporary dermatology and cosmetology.