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Transdermal insulin delivery using microdermabrasion.

Samantha Andrews¹, Jeong Woo Lee, Seong-O Choi

¹Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA.

Pharmaceutical Research

|April 19, 2011

Summary

Microdermabrasion effectively enhances transdermal insulin delivery for diabetic rats by removing the epidermis, significantly reducing blood glucose levels. This needle-free method shows promise for diabetes management.

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Area of Science:

Dermatology
Endocrinology
Biomedical Engineering

Background:

Transdermal insulin delivery offers a needle-free alternative for diabetes treatment.
Skin's natural barrier properties limit effective transdermal insulin permeation.
Conventional insulin administration relies on subcutaneous injections.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate microdermabrasion as a method to enhance transdermal insulin delivery.
To assess the role of stratum corneum and viable epidermis as barriers to insulin permeation.
To evaluate insulin delivery and blood glucose reduction in diabetic rats following microdermabrasion.

Main Methods:

Diabetic rats were treated with microdermabrasion to selectively remove skin layers.
Stratum corneum removal and full epidermis removal were compared.
Blood glucose levels (BGL) and insulin pharmacokinetics were monitored.
Results were compared to subcutaneous insulin injection.

Main Results:

Microdermabrasion removing only stratum corneum did not significantly impact BGL.
Microdermabrasion removing the full epidermis significantly reduced BGL, comparable to subcutaneous injection.
Transdermal delivery via microdermabrasion resulted in faster peak insulin concentration and larger overall exposure (AUC).

Conclusions:

Microdermabrasion can effectively increase skin permeability for therapeutic insulin delivery.
The viable epidermis acts as a significant barrier to transdermal insulin delivery.
Complete epidermal removal via microdermabrasion enables sufficient insulin delivery to manage blood glucose levels.