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Dissolving microneedle arrays that compensated for skin water loss due to microporation

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Abstract

Purpose

The stratum corneum is an important skin barrier that prevents the loss of water from the skin and protects the body from exogenous substances, such as chemicals and microbes. A microneedle array, which contains abundant micron-sized needles, can enhance the skin permeation of pharmaceutical or cosmetic active compounds by creating micropores through the epidermis and dermis. However, these micropores also cause the loss of water from the skin. Thus, our concept was to develop a dissolving microneedle (DMN) array that consisted of water-holding materials to compensate for the water loss induced by micropore formation.

Methods

DMN arrays were prepared from collagen or sodium hyaluronate (HYA) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and then evaluated for their insertion potential, dissolution, ex vivo skin hydration and transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

Results

DMN arrays with HYA and PVA, at various ratios, provided sufficient mechanical strength to penetrate through the skin and dissolved in the skin within 10 min. These arrays also increased skin hydration for a few hours after they had been removed, and the TEWL was less than that from other microneedle arrays.

Conclusion

Our DMN arrays with HYA and PVA had a moisturizing effect on the skin.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Assistant Professor Weerayut Srituravanich from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Chulalongkorn University, for providing PDMS molds and fabrication training and Ratchadaphiseksomphot Endowment Fund, Chulalongkorn University for the English editing service.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, 254 Phayathai Road, Wangmai, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand

    Jutarat Kitsongsermthon, Natcha Kumboonlert & Naowarat Saksumolrat

  2. Preclinical Toxicity and Efficacy Assessment of Medicines and Chemicals (PTEAM) Special Task Force for Activating Research (STAR), Chulalongkorn University, 254 Phayathai Road, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand

    Jutarat Kitsongsermthon

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  1. Jutarat Kitsongsermthon
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  2. Natcha Kumboonlert
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Correspondence to Jutarat Kitsongsermthon.

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Kitsongsermthon, J., Kumboonlert, N. & Saksumolrat, N. Dissolving microneedle arrays that compensated for skin water loss due to microporation. J. Pharm. Investig. 51, 571–577 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40005-021-00519-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40005-021-00519-x

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