Drug-eluting Microneedles Embedded with Nanoparticles for Anti-inflammatory Purposes

• Published in: Biotechnology and bioprocess engineering Vol. 28; no. 4; pp. 507 - 518
• Main Authors: Kim, Dongmin, Baek, Seungho, Go, Anna, Park, Heekyung, Ma, Rongen, Lee, Donghyun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Seoul The Korean Society for Biotechnology and Bioengineering 01.08.2023; Springer Nature B.V; 한국생물공학회
• Subjects: Anti-inflammatory agents; Barrier layers; biodegradability; Biodegradation; Biotechnology; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; digestive tract; Dissolution; Drug delivery; Drug delivery systems; Drugs; Gastrointestinal diseases; Gastrointestinal system; Gastrointestinal tract; Industrial and Production Engineering; Inflammation; Irritation; mucosa; Nanoparticles; Needles; permeability; Polymers; Production methods; Review Paper; Side effects; Skin; skin irritation; Stratum corneum; 생물공학; microneedle; dissolving microneedle; anti-inflammatory; nanoparticle; biodegradable polymer; transdermal drug delivery
• ISSN: 1226-8372; 1976-3816
• DOI: 10.1007/s12257-023-0039-y

Microneedle (MN) technology is used to deliver drugs transdermally in a minimally invasive manner with self-administered properties to enable controlled drug release. MNs can improve drug permeation efficiency into the skin by creating tiny holes through which the drugs can directly pass through the stratum corneum, which is the largest barrier layer of the skin. MNs can be used to deliver drugs transdermally by avoiding the gastrointestinal tract route when administering anti-inflammatory drugs so as to avoid damage to the mucous membrane, which can cause gastrointestinal disorders. Dissolving microneedles (DMNs) in biodegradable polymers allows quick dissolution after skin penetration; this can prevent side effects, such as skin irritation due to leftover MN debris on the skin. However, the drugs may be nonspecifically delivered after being released from the MNs, which may reduce their efficacy. Nanoparticles are widely used as drug-delivery systems because they prevent unintentional drug leakage and can specifically deliver drugs through modifications on the nanoparticle surfaces. When such nanoparticles are applied to MNs, the drug release can be controlled and local administration through the skin is possible, making drug delivery more effective. In this review, we describe the materials and manufacturing methods of DMNs as well as recent trends in drug-delivery research using nanoparticle-embedded DMNs to control release of anti-inflammatory drugs.