EVALUATION OF GENE EXPRESSION ALTERATIONS IN SKIN INFLAMMATION FOLLOWING HERBAL NANO FORMULATION TREATMENT

Abstract

Skin inflammation is a hallmark of several chronic dermatological disorders, including psoriasis, eczema, and atopic dermatitis, and is characterized by dysregulated immune responses, oxidative stress, and altered gene expression. The present study aimed to evaluate gene expression alterations in skin inflammation following treatment with a herbal nanoformulation and to investigate its potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Skin inflammation was induced in experimental animals using a standard inflammatory model, followed by topical administration of the herbal nanoformulation. Clinical parameters, including erythema, scaling, and skin thickness, were assessed, while histopathological examination was performed to evaluate tissue architecture. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was employed to determine the expression levels of inflammatory genes (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17A, COX-2, iNOS, and NF-κB) and antioxidant genes (Nrf2 and HO-1). Treatment with the herbal nanoformulation significantly reduced clinical signs of inflammation and improved histopathological characteristics compared with the disease control group. Molecular analysis revealed marked downregulation of pro-inflammatory genes and significant upregulation of antioxidant defense genes. These findings suggest that the herbal nanoformulation effectively attenuates skin inflammation through modulation of inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways. The study highlights the therapeutic potential of nano-enabled herbal delivery systems as promising alternatives for the management of inflammatory skin disorders.