Abstract
In this focused progress review, the most widely accepted methods of transdermal drug delivery are hypodermic needles, transdermal patches and topical creams. However, microneedles (MNs) (or microneedle arrays) are low-invasive 3D biomedical constructs that bypass the skin barrier and produce systemic and localized pharmacological effects. In the past, biomaterials such as carbohydrates, due to their physicochemical properties, have been extensively used to manufacture microneedles (MNs). Due to their wide range of functional groups, carbohydrates enable the design and development of tunable properties and functionalities. In recent years, numerous microneedle products have emerged on the market, although much research needs to be undertaken to overcome the various challenges before the successful introduction of microneedles into the market. As a result, carbohydrate-based microarrays have a high potential to achieve a future step in sensing, drug delivery, and biologics restitution. In this review, a comprehensive overview of carbohydrates such as hyaluronic acid, chitin, chitosan, chondroitin sulfate, cellulose and starch is discussed systematically. It also discusses the various drug delivery strategies and mechanical properties of biomaterial-based MNs, the progress made so far in the clinical translation of carbohydrate-based MNs, and the promotional opportunities for their commercialization. In conclusion, the article summarizes the future perspectives of carbohydrate-based MNs, which are considered as the new class of topical drug delivery systems.
Highlights
Polysaccharides are a class of biopolymers that influences the biological functions of living organisms, including structural support, energy storage, lubrication, and cell signal transduction [1,2]
The most used metal is stainlesssteel [42,50,51]. This laser machine is connected to a computer-based software called Computer-Aided Design (CAD), which assists in designing the microneedle size and orientation [21]
When the microneedle is prepared by using photolithography, etching remains the most crucial step as it defines the shape of the microneedle tip
Summary
Polysaccharides are a class of biopolymers that influences the biological functions of living organisms, including structural support, energy storage, lubrication, and cell signal transduction [1,2]. In addition to tissue engineering and chronic wound healing, there is a need to review other pharmaceutical applications of MN-based natural polysaccharides, as most recent review articles on MNs have focused on their drug delivery potential. Advancing the review on several of these substances, including polysaccharides biomaterials, a more recent study has utilized the PRISMA guidelines to review the same for medical applications [25,26] This shows that the goal of achieving clinical translation from the bench is in progress. For this reason, we are providing an updated review on microneedle-based natural polysaccharides for pharmaceutical applications. MN characteristics and geometry, more comprehensive fabrication processes and future perspectives are presented in this review
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