A Long-Lasting Triamcinolone-Loaded Microneedle Patch for Prolonged Dermal Delivery

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Dermatology
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Scars, resulting from wounds or burns, are aesthetically undesirable skin lesions.
• Conventional triamcinolone treatments require frequent application for scar management.
• Microneedle technology offers a potential for prolonged dermal drug delivery and wound closure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a polylactic acid (PLA) microneedle patch for sustained release of triamcinolone acetonide (TrA).
• To evaluate the potential of these microneedles for wound edge closure and scar prevention/treatment.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of 3% and 10% TrA-loaded PLA microneedles via micro molding-solvent casting.
• Characterization using optical microscopy, XRD, FT-IR, and DSC.
• Evaluation of mechanical strength, insertion depth in human skin, in vitro release kinetics over 34 days, and ex vivo skin permeation.

Main Results:

• Uniform PLA microneedles were successfully fabricated without structural defects.
• No chemical interaction or thermal/crystallinity changes were observed between TrA and PLA.
• Microneedles achieved penetration depths of 900-1000 μm, with sustained release following Higuchi and zero-order kinetics over 34 days.

Conclusions:

• PLA microneedles loaded with TrA can be effectively fabricated using the solvent casting method.
• These microneedles exhibit suitable mechanical properties and prolonged drug release profiles.
• The developed microneedle patch shows promise for improved scar treatment and wound management.