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Microfluidic Approach for Enhanced Paeoniflorin Transdermal Delivery: A Comparative Study on Different Chips and
Qifei Gu1,2, Wuqing Xiao1, Yingyin Zhu1
1School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 102488, China.
AAPS Pharmscitech
|January 17, 2025
Summary
Large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) loaded with paeoniflorin were prepared using microfluidics. These paeoniflorin LUVs demonstrated enhanced transdermal absorption, overcoming the drug's low skin permeability.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Biomaterials Engineering
- Drug Delivery Systems
Background:
- Paeoniflorin, a natural compound, exhibits broad biological activity but suffers from poor transdermal absorption due to its hydrophilic nature.
- Low transdermal rates of hydrophilic drugs like paeoniflorin limit their clinical efficacy.
- Large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) offer a promising solution as biocompatible carriers to enhance drug delivery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prepare paeoniflorin-loaded LUVs using microfluidics.
- To investigate the impact of microfluidic chip structures on LUV properties and preparation efficiency.
- To evaluate the enhanced transdermal absorption of paeoniflorin delivered via LUVs.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of paeoniflorin-loaded W/O/W structured LUVs utilizing microfluidic technology with four distinct chip designs.
- Analysis of fluid mixing mechanisms and their correlation with channel structures (straight vs. curved) through experimental and numerical simulation approaches.
- In vitro assessment of transdermal permeability using male mouse abdominal skin, comparing paeoniflorin aqueous solution, drug-loaded LUVs, and a blank liposome-drug mixture.
Main Results:
- Microfluidic channel structure significantly influenced flow rate, mixing efficiency, and subsequent LUV size.
- Contrary to expectations, curved channels did not outperform straight channels due to lower flow rates and longer mixing times.
- Transdermal experiments confirmed that LUVs significantly reduced transdermal time and increased the overall amount of paeoniflorin absorbed, validating improved transdermal efficiency.
Conclusions:
- Microfluidics enables the successful preparation of paeoniflorin-loaded LUVs with superior transdermal properties.
- Understanding the fluid dynamics within microfluidic channels is crucial for optimizing LUV preparation and drug delivery.
- The developed paeoniflorin LUVs represent an effective strategy for enhancing the transdermal delivery of hydrophilic drugs.
