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Biodegradable Porous Microneedles for an Electric Skin Patch
Author(s) -
Abe Hiroya,
Matsui Yuuya,
Kimura Natsumi,
Nishizawa Matsuhiko
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
macromolecular materials and engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.913
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1439-2054
pISSN - 1438-7492
DOI - 10.1002/mame.202100171
Subject(s) - materials science , transdermal , plga , mold , porosity , composite material , biomedical engineering , molding (decorative) , sublimation (psychology) , iontophoresis , nanotechnology , nanoparticle , medicine , psychology , neuroscience , pharmacology , psychotherapist , biology
An array of porous microneedles (PMNs) made of biodegradable poly(lactic‐ co ‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) is fabricated by a combination of molding and freeze‐drying methods. The optimized mixture of PLGA and 1,4‐dioxane is poured into a mold of a microneedle array, followed by the freezing and sublimation of the frozen particles of 1,4‐dioxane, a procedure that left an interconnecting porous structure in the PLGA with a porosity around 50%. The mechanical strength of the PMN made of PLGA (PLGA‐PMN) is reinforced by modification with carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), resulting in sufficient strength enough for insertion into an excised porcine skin. The transdermal resistance is significantly decreased by the CMC‐modified PLGA‐PMN, which would improve the efficiency and safety of DC current‐based transdermal techniques, including the electrical monitoring of the skin condition and iontophoresis for drug delivery and medical diagnosis.