Enhancing skin moisture and anti-aging by DL-α-tocopherol loading sodium alginate-based hydrogel microneedles

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Dermatology
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Effective skin moisturization is crucial for managing age-related skin changes and maintaining skin health.
• Antioxidants, like DL-α-tocopherol, play a vital role in combating skin aging and damage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize sodium alginate (SA)-based hydrogel microneedles (MNs) loaded with DL-α-tocopherol.
• To evaluate the potential of these MNs for sustained, non-invasive antioxidant delivery and enhanced skin hydration.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of three hydrogel formulations (SAP1, SAP2, SAP3) using varying polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (PEGDE) to SA ratios.
• Characterization of swelling behavior, crosslinking density, and DL-α-tocopherol release profiles.
• In vivo evaluation of the selected formulation (SAP2α) for skin hydration effects.

Main Results:

• Formulations exhibited distinct swelling and drug release characteristics, with SAP1 showing highest swelling and SAP3 the lowest.
• SAP2α demonstrated balanced DL-α-tocopherol release, favorable mechanical strength, and swelling properties.
• SAP2α microneedles significantly increased skin moisture from 13% to 37% over 8 days.

Conclusions:

• Sodium alginate-based hydrogel microneedles show promise for transdermal delivery of antioxidants for skin rejuvenation and anti-aging.
• The demonstrated moisturizing efficacy of SAP2α MNs highlights their potential clinical applications in dermatology and cosmetics for combating skin aging and dryness.