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Seeing through the skin: Optical methods for visualizing transdermal drug delivery with microneedles
Benchaphorn Limcharoen1, Supason Wanichwecharungruang2, Wijit Banlunara3
1Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; Center of Excellence in Advanced Materials and Biointerfaces, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand.
Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews
|November 27, 2024
Summary
Optical imaging enhances microneedle-based transdermal drug delivery research by enabling real-time visualization and quantitative analysis. This review details various optical methods for studying drug penetration and skin responses.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Optical Physics
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Microneedle technology offers a promising route for transdermal drug delivery.
- Optical methods provide non-invasive tools for studying drug delivery dynamics.
- Understanding skin-optical properties is crucial for effective transdermal delivery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To comprehensively review optical methods applied to microneedle-mediated transdermal drug delivery.
- To highlight the advantages of optical imaging in visualizing drug distribution and skin interactions.
- To discuss current and future trends in optical techniques for transdermal research.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on optical imaging modalities used in conjunction with microneedle technology.
- Analysis of techniques including fluorescence microscopy, optical coherence tomography, and photoacoustic microscopy.
- Discussion of conventional and advanced optical imaging systems.
Main Results:
- Optical imaging enables real-time visualization of drug distribution and penetration depth.
- Non-invasive monitoring of skin responses and quantitative analysis of drug delivery are achievable.
- Various optical modalities offer distinct advantages for specific transdermal delivery applications.
Conclusions:
- Optical methods are essential for advancing microneedle-based transdermal drug delivery research.
- Integrating optical imaging with drug delivery systems offers significant potential.
- Non-invasive optical biopsy presents a valuable alternative to traditional histological methods.
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