MICRONEEDLES AS A WAY TO INCREASE THE TRANSDERMAL INSULIN DELIVERY

Abstract

Aim: to prove the possibility of increasing the diffusion of insulin through the skin in vitro with pre-applying microneedles.Materials and methods. Microemulsion for transdermal therapeutic system of insulin has been used in vitro studies. Genetically engineered human insulin has been used in this research. Applicators with silicon microneedles (40 and 150 microns long) have been used to enhance the diffusion fl ux of drug substance. The dynamics of insulin release from the transdermal therapeutic systems through the rabbit skin has been studied in glass Franz diffusion cells in analyzer diffusion of drugs HDT 1000 (Copley Scientifi c Ltd., UK). Insulin has been labeled with fl uorescein isothiocyanate to separate the insulin absorption spectrum from the spectra of native skin proteins at spectrophotometer measurements.Results. The amounts of insulin delivered through the skin in vitro after previous application of microneedles of 40 and 150 microns are 282.5 ± 61.1 and 372.3 ± 7.0 microgram, respectively. This is 1.4 and 1.9 times more than in the transdermal system without microneedles.Conclusion.The conditions for increasing the diffusion of insulin through the skin in a model transdermal therapeutic system with microneedles (length – 150 microns, duration of pre-application – 1 hour) have been found.