title: Inkjet printing of transdermal microneedles for the delivery of anticancer agents.
abstract: A novel inkjet printing technology is introduced as a process to coat metal microneedle arrays with three anticancer agents 5-fluororacil, curcumin and cisplatin for transdermal delivery. The hydrophilic graft copolymer Soluplus(®) was used as a drug carrier and the coating formulations consisted of drug-polymer solutions at various ratios. A piezoelectric dispenser jetted microdroplets on the microneedle surface to develop uniform, accurate and reproducible coating layers without any material losses. Inkjet printing was found to depend on the nozzle size, the applied voltage (mV) and the duration of the pulse (μs). The drug release rates were determined in vitro using Franz type diffusion cells with dermatomed porcine skin. The drug release rates depended on the drug-polymer ratio, the drug lipophilicity and the skin thickness. All drugs presented increased release profiles (750 μm skin thickness), which were retarded for 900 μm skin thickness. Soluplus assisted the drug release especially for the water insoluble curcumin and cisplatin due to its solubilizing capacity. Inkjet printing has been shown to be an effective technology for coating of metal microneedles which can then be used for further transdermal drug delivery applications.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Greenwich, Medway Campus, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB, UK.
authors.forename: Md Jasim
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Uddin
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Greenwich, Medway Campus, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB, UK.
authors.forename: Nicolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Scoutaris
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Pharmacy, University of Patras, Rio 26510, Greece.
authors.forename: Pavlos
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Klepetsanis
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Greenwich, Medway Campus, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB, UK.
authors.forename: Babur
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chowdhry
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA.
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Prausnitz
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering and Science, University of Greenwich, Medway Campus, Chatham Maritime, Kent ME4 4TB, UK. Electronic address: D.Douroumis@gre.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Douroumis
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D003199:Computer Systems; D003474:Curcumin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D065546:Drug Liberation; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D019220:High-Energy Shock Waves; D006801:Humans; D009339:Needles; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry; D011145:Polyvinyls / Q000737:chemistry; D013552:Swine; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000295:instrumentation*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011145:Polyvinyls; C572167:polyvinyl caprolactam-polyvinyl acetate-polyethylene glycol graft copolymer; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D003474:Curcumin; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil
keywords: Anticancer drugs; Inkjet printing; Microneedles; Release; Transdermal delivery