Vine Tea Combined with a Lidocaine Microneedle Patch for Enhanced Treatment of Psoriasis

Abstract

Vine tea, a traditional Chinese herbal tea with well-known medicinal properties, contains various bioactive compounds, with dihydromyricetin (DMY) standing out as particularly notable. However, the therapeutic potential of DMY is hindered by its low solubility and limited ability to penetrate cell membranes. In this study, we present a novel approach utilizing a microneedle (MN) patch loaded with DMY in combination with lidocaine (LD), referred to as the DMY-LD MN patch, to effectively target thickened skin lesions in the treatment of psoriasis. The DMY-LD MN patch demonstrated the ability to penetrate the thickened epidermal layers associated with psoriasis, enabling sustained release of DMY and LD at the site of the skin lesion. In a murine model of psoriasis, both DMY and LD showed therapeutic efficacy when administered individually. Notably, the combined DMY and LD treatment regimen exhibited superior therapeutic outcomes. The DMY-LD MN patch offers a promising treatment strategy for psoriasis due to its durability, efficacy, cost-effectiveness, and safety.