Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 17, 2026
09:44
Development, Characterization, and Evaluation of CAGE-based Ionic Liquid Systems for Transdermal Delivery
Published on: September 26, 2025
444
Ionic liquid-based transdermal drug delivery systems for biopharmaceuticals
Fahmida Habib Nabila1, Muhammad Moniruzzaman2, Masahiro Goto1,3,4
1Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan. m-goto@mail.cstm.kyushu-u.ac.jp.
Chemical Communications (Cambridge, England)
|September 23, 2025
Summary
Ionic liquids (ILs) enhance transdermal drug delivery (TDDS) of biologics like proteins and nucleic acids by improving skin permeation. IL-based nanocarrier systems show promise for treating diabetes and cancer via non-invasive delivery.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
Background:
- Transdermal delivery of biopharmaceuticals faces challenges due to the skin's stratum corneum barrier.
- Ionic liquids (ILs) offer unique physicochemical properties beneficial for drug delivery.
- ILs can act as solvents and permeation enhancers, improving biomolecule solubility, stability, and skin transport.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent advances in ionic liquid-based transdermal drug delivery systems (IL-TDDS).
- To highlight the application of ILs in nanocarrier systems for delivering biologics.
- To focus on lipid- and choline-derived IL-enabled TDDS.
Main Methods:
- Integration of ILs into various nanocarrier systems (ethosomes, transethosomes, emulsions, dispersions).
- Utilizing ILs as multifunctional materials for enhanced transdermal transport.
- Evaluating IL-TDDS efficacy in preclinical models for diabetes and cancer immunotherapy.
Main Results:
- Successful transdermal delivery of insulin, siRNA, mRNA, and other biologics using IL-based nanocarriers.
- IL-based formulations demonstrate high stability and enhanced drug bioavailability compared to conventional systems.
- Demonstrated prolonged glycemic control in diabetic models and potent anti-tumor responses in nucleic-acid immunotherapy.
Conclusions:
- Ionic liquids are effective multifunctional materials for overcoming transdermal delivery barriers.
- IL-enabled nanocarrier systems represent a promising strategy for non-invasive delivery of biopharmaceuticals.
- IL-TDDS holds significant potential for therapeutic applications in metabolic diseases and cancer immunotherapy.
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