3D-Printed Melatonin Tablets with Braille Motifs for the Visually Impaired

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Technology
• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• 3D printing offers a novel approach for creating personalized dosage forms.
• Improving drug adherence in patients with specific needs, such as visual impairments, is a significant challenge.
• Melatonin (MLT) is a hormone often used in customized dosage forms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop melatonin (MLT) tablets using liquid crystal display (LCD) 3D printing.
• To incorporate Braille patterns for visually impaired patients to aid in drug identification and adherence.
• To achieve sustained release of MLT through optimized hydrogel ink formulations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized liquid crystal display (LCD) 3D printing to fabricate MLT-containing tablets.
• Optimized hydrogel ink formulations, including poly(ethylene glycol)-diacrylate (PEGDA) of varying molecular weights and surfactants/solubilizers.
• Incorporated Braille patterns onto the tablet surface for accessibility.
• Analyzed MLT state (amorphous) and photopolymerization using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR).

Main Results:

• Successfully 3D printed MLT tablets with customizable Braille patterns, validated by blind patients.
• Achieved sustained release of MLT by controlling dissolution rates through formulation adjustments.
• Confirmed successful photopolymerization of PEGDA resins within the printed dosage forms.
• Demonstrated rapid small-batch scale-up capability of LCD 3D printing (approx. 24 minutes for a significant number of tablets).

Conclusions:

• LCD 3D printing is a viable technology for producing customized pharmaceutical dosage forms, including those with accessibility features like Braille.
• The developed formulation enables sustained release of melatonin and supports improved drug adherence for visually impaired patients.
• This approach holds promise for personalized medicine and addressing the needs of diverse patient populations.