Pullulan microneedle patches for the efficient transdermal administration of insulin envisioning diabetes treatment

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2020

Authors

Fonseca, DFS (Author) Other; Paulo Costa (Author) FFUP; Almeida, IF (Author) FFUP; Dias Pereira, P (Author) Other; Correia Sa, I (Author) Other; Bastos, V (Author) Other; Oliveira, H (Author) Other; Margarida Araújo (Author) ICBAS; Morato, M (Author) FFUP; Vilela, C (Author) Other; Silvestre, AJD (Author) Other; Freire, CSR (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Carbohydrate Polymers

Vol. 241

ISSN: 0144-8617

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 58 Citations

Scopus - 61 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00S-412

DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2020.116314

Abstract (EN): The present study reports the fabrication of dissolvable microneedle (MN) patches using pullulan (PL), a watersoluble polysaccharide with excellent film-forming ability, for the transdermal administration of insulin, envisioning the non-invasive treatment of diabetes. PL MNs patches were successfully prepared by micromoulding and revealed good thermal stability (T-dmax = 294 degrees C) and mechanical properties (> 0.15 N needle(-1)), penetrating skin up to 381 mu m depth, as revealed by in vitro skin tests. After application into human abdominal skin in vitro, the MNs dissolved within 2 h releasing up to 87% of insulin. When stored at 4, 20 and 40 degrees C for 4 weeks, insulin was able to retain its secondary structure, as shown by circular dichroism spectropolarimetry. The prepared PL MNs were non-cytotoxic towards human keratinocytes, being suitable for skin application. These findings suggest that PL MNs have potential to deliver insulin transdermally, thus avoiding its subcutaneous administration.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 9