According to the results of a new study, a cannabidiol (CBD) hydrogel microneedle patch may offer significant therapeutic benefits for psoriasis patients.
Microneedle Patch (photo credit: Jill Ziesmer).
Published in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, the study found that CBD can inhibit the proliferation of keratinocytes, a key factor in psoriasis progression.
Researchers from Kunming Medical University and Central South University identified that the TRIM14 protein is highly expressed in psoriasis patients and may play a role in the disease by activating the NF-κB pathway through interactions with TRAF3. By suppressing TRIM14 expression, CBD appears to reduce this inflammatory signaling.
In testing on psoriatic mice, the CBD hydrogel microneedle patch alleviated key symptoms such as keratoderma thickening, erythema, and desquamation. The treatment also lowered inflammatory markers in skin tissue, blood, and the spleen index. Compared to Tacrolimus cream, a commonly used psoriasis treatment, the CBD patch demonstrated superior anti-inflammatory effects.
“In summary, TRIM14, which is highly expressed in psoriasis patients, may be a potential target and provide new ideas for the treatment of psoriasis”, concludes the study. “In addition, the CBD hydrogel microneedle patch developed for TRIM14 has obvious therapeutic effects and provides a new option for future drug therapy for psoriasis patients.”
