Texturing formulations for uranium skin decontamination.

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Radiochemistry
• Pharmaceutical Sciences

Background:

• No specific treatments exist for cutaneous radionuclide contamination, particularly uranium.
• A previously designed calixarene-loaded nanoemulsion showed promise but lacked optimal topical application suitability for wounds.
• Developing a stable and effective topical formulation is crucial for managing uranium skin contamination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a textured pharmaceutical formulation for treating uranium-contaminated wounded skin.
• To enhance the topical application of calixarene nanoemulsions for wound care.
• To create a stable hydrogel formulation for uranium decontamination.

Main Methods:

• Created oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsions loaded with calixarene molecules.
• Modified the nanoemulsion external phase using thermosensitive polymers (Poloxamer with HPMC or MC) to form a hydrogel.
• Evaluated ex vivo diffusion of uranyl ions through excoriated pig ear skin using Franz cells and ICP-MS.

Main Results:

• The hybrid nanoemulsion-hydrogel formulations maintained desirable physico-chemical characteristics (size, zeta potential, aspect).
• Both HPMC and MC containing formulations significantly limited uranyl ion diffusion to less than 5% on wounded skin.
• Rheological properties were altered by gelification but did not compromise formulation integrity.

Conclusions:

• A hybrid nanoemulsion-in-hydrogel formulation is effective for treating uranium skin contamination.
• The developed formulation provides a suitable topical treatment for wounds contaminated with uranium.
• This approach demonstrates successful management of radionuclide skin exposure through advanced topical delivery systems.