2. Academic Validation
  3. Dexamethasone prodrug cyclodextrin aggregates effectively alleviate experimental autoimmune uveitis

Dexamethasone prodrug cyclodextrin aggregates effectively alleviate experimental autoimmune uveitis

  • Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces. 2025 Jun 21:255:114889. doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2025.114889.
Xue Wang 1,  Lu Liu 2,  Di Wu 3,  Yuxin Hu 4,  Hongzhuo Liu 5,  Yizhou Sun 6,  Guangqi Yan 7
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Orthodontics, School of Stomatology, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China.
  • 2 Department of Preventive Dentistry, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Liaoning Provincial Key laboratory of Oral Diseases, China Medical University, Shenyang 110101, China.
  • 3 Department of Cardiology, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China.
  • 4 Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China.
  • 5 Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China. Electronic address: liuhongzhuo@syphu.edu.cn.
  • 6 Department of Ophthalmology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China. Electronic address: yzhsun@cmu.edu.cn.
  • 7 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Stomatology, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China. Electronic address: gqyan@cmu.edu.cn.
PMID: 40554951 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2025.114889
Abstract

Noninfectious uveitis (NIU) remains a significant cause of vision impairment, typically managed with glucocorticoids. However, current glucocorticoid implants present considerable side effects, including elevated intraocular pressure and cataracts. To overcome these limitations, we synthesized a novel prodrug, dexamethasone gallate (DG), which possesses the powerful anti-inflammatory ability of dexamethasone (DEX) and exhibits strong antioxidant activity of gallic acid (GA) that helps protect ocular tissues against oxidative stress. DG was formulated into cyclodextrin microparticle suspension eye drops, designed to progressively disintegrate and penetrate ocular tissues effectively. In experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) models, DG suspension eye drops demonstrated comparable therapeutic efficacy to conventional DEX eye drops at reduced dosages, significantly reducing anterior and posterior ocular inflammation. Notably, DG formulations substantially minimized intraocular pressure elevation and glucocorticoid-related adverse effects. These findings support the potential of DG suspension eye drops as a safer, efficient, and patient-friendly therapeutic alternative for treating NIU.

Keywords

Cyclodextrin aggregates; Dexamethasone; Experimental autoimmune uveitis; Gallic acid; Noninfectious uveitis.

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