Electric Stimulus-Responsive Chitosan/MNP Composite Microbeads for a Drug Delivery System

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Conventional drug delivery systems (DDS) are evolving towards stimuli-responsive platforms.
• Electric stimuli offer a precise method for controlling drug release.
• Developing novel DDS for enhanced therapeutic efficacy is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel DDS responsive to bipolar electric pulses.
• To investigate the controlled release of vancomycin using this electric-stimulus-responsive DDS.
• To demonstrate a simple, customizable, and cost-effective fabrication method for advanced DDS.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of vancomycin-loaded chitosan microbeads crosslinked with polyethylene glycol dimethacrylate and embedded with magnetic nanoparticles.
• Integration of the DDS with silver inter-digitated electrodes (IDE) on polyimide substrates using MEMS-based inkjet printing.
• Application of 100 Hz bipolar electric pulses for 3 minutes to stimulate drug release.
• Modeling of the IDE system using COMSOL to analyze electric fields and ion migration.

Main Results:

• Stimulated DDS exhibited approximately 800% greater vancomycin release compared to non-stimulated controls during the excitation period.
• Drug elution followed a first-order release profile after the initial stimulated release.
• The fabrication process is noted for its simplicity and cost-effectiveness.
• COMSOL modeling provided insights into the electrodynamics of the system.

Conclusions:

• The developed DDS effectively utilizes electric pulses for significantly enhanced and controllable drug release.
• This approach presents a promising, non-complex, and adaptable technique for targeted drug delivery applications.
• The study highlights the potential of electric-stimulus-responsive DDS in advancing therapeutic strategies.