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Development of lysozyme loaded microneedles for dermal applications
Apoorva Panda1, Abhishek Shettar1, Purnendu Kumar Sharma1
1Department of Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, MS-38677, United States.
International Journal of Pharmaceutics
|December 5, 2020
Summary
Polymeric microneedles effectively entrap lysozyme for dermal delivery. These microneedles maintain enzyme integrity and biological activity for up to 90 days, showing potential for treating bacterial skin infections.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Dermatology
Background:
- Microneedles are increasingly explored for transdermal delivery of macromolecules.
- Polymeric matrices offer potential for entrapping enzymes like lysozyme without compromising protein integrity.
- Controlled release mechanisms, including bolus and sustained release, are achievable with microneedle technology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate and characterize polymeric microneedles for entrapping lysozyme.
- To evaluate the structural strength and drug release profiles of microneedles made from Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), Hyaluronic acid (HA), and Poly lactic co glycolic acid (PLGA).
- To assess the structural stability and biological activity of entrapped lysozyme over time.
Main Methods:
- Microneedles were fabricated using a mold casting technique.
- Structural strength was assessed using a texture analyzer.
- Lysozyme release kinetics and stability were evaluated using techniques including circular dichroism, SDS-PAGE, and enzyme assays over 90 days.
Main Results:
- Poly lactic co glycolic acid (PLGA) microneedles exhibited superior structural strength compared to PVP and HA microneedles.
- PVP and HA microneedles showed near-instantaneous lysozyme release, while PLGA microneedles demonstrated a sustained release profile over 72 hours.
- Lysozyme retained its structural integrity and biological activity in all tested polymeric microneedles after 90 days, with entrapment concentrations remaining high.
Conclusions:
- Biodegradable and dissolving polymers like PVP, HA, and PLGA can be effectively used to fabricate microneedles for lysozyme entrapment.
- The developed microneedles maintain lysozyme's protein integrity and biological activity, indicating their potential for dermal applications.
- These findings support the use of polymeric microneedles for treating bacterial infections and suggest further investigation for wound and skin infection applications.
