Novel reverse electrodialysis-driven iontophoretic system for topical and transdermal delivery of poorly permeable therapeutic agents

Hyaluronic Acid in Rheumatology

Hyaluronic acid (HA), also known as hyaluronan, is an anionic glycosaminoglycan widely distributed throughout various tissues of the human body. It stands out from other glycosaminoglycans as it lacks sulfation and can attain considerable size: the average human synovial HA molecule weighs about 7 million Dalton (Da), equivalent to roughly 20,000 disaccharide monomers; although some sources report a lower range of 3-4 million Da. In recent years, HA has garnered significant attention in the field of rheumatology due to its involvement in joint lubrication, cartilage maintenance, and modulation of inflammatory and/or immune responses. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of HA's involvement in rheumatology, covering its physiology, pharmacology, therapeutic applications, and potential future directions for enhancing patient outcomes. Nevertheless, the use of HA therapy in rheumatology remains controversial with conflicting evidence regarding its efficacy and safety. In conclusion, HA represents a promising therapeutic option to improve joint function and alleviate inflammation and pain.

Drug Delivery Systems for Personal Healthcare by Smart Wearable Patch System

Smart wearable patch systems that combine biosensing and therapeutic components have emerged as promising approaches for personalized healthcare and therapeutic platforms that enable self-administered, noninvasive, user-friendly, and long-acting smart drug delivery. Sensing components can continuously monitor physiological and biochemical parameters, and the monitoring signals can be transferred to various stimuli using actuators. In therapeutic components, stimuli-responsive carrier-based drug delivery systems (DDSs) provide on-demand drug delivery in a closed-loop manner. This review provides an overview of the recent advances in smart wearable patch systems, focusing on sensing components, stimuli, and therapeutic components. Additionally, this review highlights the potential of fully integrated smart wearable patch systems for personalized medicine. Furthermore, challenges associated with the clinical applications of this system and future perspectives are discussed, including issues related to drug loading and reloading, biocompatibility, accuracy of sensing and drug delivery, and largescale fabrication.

Iontophoresis in dermal delivery: A review of applications in dermato-cosmetic and aesthetic sciences

OBJECTIVE

Iontophoresis is defined as the use of electric current to drive molecules across cell membranes through an electrolyte solution. In therapeutic context, it is used to facilitate the administration of bioactive substances, either systemically or locally. The technique presents various advantages and that is why it has been successfully used by a plethora of medical sciences. The constantly developing field of dermato-cosmetic science has also taken advantage of the possibilities offered by iontophoresis, aiming to enhance the delivery of the applied active ingredients and, thus, induce the desired cosmetic effects.

METHODS

The available literature was examined for evidence-based reports of safe and successful iontophoresis of pharmaceutical and cosmetic substances, in order to explore different iontophoretic applications in the field of dermato-cosmetic and dermato-aesthetic sciences.

CONCLUSION

Iontophoresis can be safely and successfully used in the treatment of ageing, photoageing, hyperpigmentation, oxidative stress, hair loss, hair removal, acne, acne sequelae and cellulite, providing many possibilities for enhanced treatment results.

Influencing factors and drug application of iontophoresis in transdermal drug delivery: an overview of recent progress

Transdermal drug delivery is limited by the stratum corneum of skin, which blocks most molecules, and thus, only few molecules with specific physicochemical properties (molecular weight < 500 Da, adequate lipophilicity, and low melting point) are able to penetrate the skin. Recently, various technologies have been developed to overcome the strong barrier properties of stratum corneum. Iontophoresis technology, which uses a small current to improve drug permeation through skin, is one of the effective ways to circumvent the stratum corneum. This approach not only provides a more efficient, noninvasive, and patient-friendly method of drug delivery but also widens the scope of drugs for transdermal delivery. In this review, the mechanisms underlying iontophoresis and affecting factors are outlined. The focus will be on the latest advancements in iontophoretic transdermal drug delivery and application of iontophoresis with other enhancing technologies. The challenges of this technology for drug administration have also been highlighted, and some iontophoretic systems approved for clinical use are described.

Combination of lipid nanoparticles and iontophoresis for enhanced lopinavir skin permeation: Impact of electric current on lipid dynamics

Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC)-loaded with lopinavir (LPV) were developed for its iontophoretic transdermal delivery. Electronic paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy of fatty acid spin labels and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were applied to investigate the lipid dynamic behavior of NLC before and after the electrical current. In vitro release and permeation studies, with and without anodic and cathodic iontophoresis were also performed. NLC-LPV had nanometric size (179.0 ± 2.5 nm), high drug load (∼x223C 4.14%) and entrapment efficiency (EE) (∼x223C 80%). NLC-LPV was chemically and physically stable after applying an electric current. The electrical current reduced EE after 3 h (67.21 ± 2.64%), resulting in faster LPV in vitro release. EPR demonstrated that iontophoresis decreased NLC lipid dynamics, which is a long-lasting effect. DSC studies demonstrated that electrical current could trigger the polymorphic transition of NLC and drug solubilization in the lipid matrix. NLC-LPV, combined with iontophoresis, allowed drug quantification in the receptor medium, unlike unloaded drugs. Cathodic iontophoresis enabled the quantification of about 7.9 µg/cm² of LPV in the receptor medium. Passive NLC-LPV studies had to be done for an additional 42 h to achieve similar concentrations. Besides, anodic iontophoresis increased by 1.8-fold the amount of LPV in the receptor medium, demonstrating a promising antiviral therapy strategy.

Electrical aspects of skin as a pathway to engineering skin devices

Skin is one of the indispensable organs for life. The epidermis at the outermost surface provides a permeability barrier to infectious agents, chemicals, and excessive loss of water, while the dermis and subcutaneous tissue mechanically support the structure of the skin and appendages, including hairs and secretory glands. The integrity of the integumentary system is a key for general health, and many techniques have been developed to measure and control this protective function. In contrast, the effective skin barrier is the major obstacle for transdermal delivery and detection. Changes in the electrical properties of skin, such as impedance and ionic activity, is a practical indicator that reflects the structures and functions of the skin. For example, the impedance that reflects the hydration of the skin is measured for quantitative assessment in skincare, and the current generated across a wound is used for the evaluation and control of wound healing. Furthermore, the electrically charged structure of the skin enables transdermal drug delivery and chemical extraction. This paper provides an overview of the electrical aspects of the skin and summarizes current advances in the development of devices based on these features.

Lipid Nanoparticles for Enhancing the Physicochemical Stability and Topical Skin Delivery of Orobol

Orobol is one of the major soy isoflavones, and has been reported to have various pharmacological activities, including an anti-skin-aging effect. However, since it has low solubility in water and physicochemical instability, the formulation of orobol for delivery into the dermal layer of the skin could be challenging. The objective of this study was to prepare lipid nanoparticles formulations of orobol to enhance its stability as well as its deposition into the skin. Formulations of orobol-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) were characterized in terms of their mean particle size, entrapment efficiency, and morphology. The nano-sized spherical NLCs formulations maintained the stability of orobol for up to 28 days. Moreover, the NLCs formulation significantly increased the in vitro deposition of orobol into both Strat-M membranes and human cadaver skin compared with the other formulations. Additionally, the NLCs formulation did not cause significant skin irritation in clinical study. These results demonstrate that a shea butter-based NLC formulation could be a promising and safe carrier system for improving the stability of orobol and enhancing its topical skin delivery.

Facilitated Transdermal Drug Delivery Using Nanocarriers-Embedded Electroconductive Hydrogel Coupled with Reverse Electrodialysis-Driven Iontophoresis

We herein developed an iontophoretic transdermal drug delivery system for the effective delivery of electrically mobile drug nanocarriers (DNs). Our system consists of a portable and disposable reverse electrodialysis (RED) battery that generates electric power for iontophoresis through the ionic exchange. In addition, in order to provide a drug reservoir to the RED-driven iontophoretic system, an electroconductive hydrogel composed of polypyrrole-incorporated poly(vinyl alcohol) (PYP) was used. The PYP hydrogel facilitated electron transfer from the RED battery and accelerated the mobility of electrically mobile DNs released from the PYP hydrogel. In this study, we showed that fluconazole- or rosiglitazone-loaded DNs could be functionalized with charge-inducing agents, and DNs with charge modification resulted in facilitated transdermal transport via repulsive RED-driven iontophoresis. In addition, topical application and RED-driven iontophoresis of rosiglitazone-loaded DNs resulted in an effective antiobese condition displaying decreased bodyweight, reduced glucose level, and increased conversion of white adipose tissues to brown adipose tissues in vivo. Consequently, we highlight that this transdermal drug delivery platform would be extensively utilized for delivering diverse therapeutic agents in a noninvasive way.

Nanotechnology advances towards development of targeted-treatment for obesity

Obesity through its association with type 2 diabetes (T2D), cancer and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), poses a serious health threat, as these diseases contribute to high mortality rates. Pharmacotherapy alone or in combination with either lifestyle modification or surgery, is reliable in maintaining a healthy body weight, and preventing progression to obesity-induced diseases. However, the anti-obesity drugs are limited by non-specificity and unsustainable weight loss effects. As such, novel and improved approaches for treatment of obesity are urgently needed. Nanotechnology-based therapies are investigated as an alternative strategy that can treat obesity and be able to overcome the drawbacks associated with conventional therapies. The review presents three nanotechnology-based anti-obesity strategies that target the white adipose tissues (WATs) and its vasculature for the reversal of obesity. These include inhibition of angiogenesis in the WATs, transformation of WATs to brown adipose tissues (BATs), and photothermal lipolysis of WATs. Compared to conventional therapy, the targeted-nanosystems have high tolerability, reduced side effects, and enhanced efficacy. These effects are reproducible using various nanocarriers (liposomes, polymeric and gold nanoparticles), thus providing a proof of concept that targeted nanotherapy can be a feasible strategy that can combat obesity and prevent its comorbidities.