Adhesive Patch Research Articles

Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems

A transdermal patch is a medicated adhesive patch that is applied to the skin that contains medication that is intended to be absorbed into the bloodstream. This frequently encourages the healing of a body part that has been hurt. Transdermal medication delivery allows for regulated drug release into the patient, resulting in less systemic side effects and, in certain cases, increased efficacy over other dose forms. This is an advantage of transdermal drug delivery over other types of medication delivery such as oral, topical, intravenous, intramuscular, etc. Transdermal medication delivery allows for a constant blood level profile, a regulated drug release into the patient, fewer systemic side effects, and other benefits. 
 Keywords: Transdermal patch, Blood stream, Systemic side effects.

Optimization of Structural Damage Repair with Single and Double-Sided Composite Patches through the Finite Element Analysis and Taguchi Method

Over the last four decades, numerous studies have been conducted on the use of bonded composite repairs for aircraft structures. These studies have explored the repair of damaged plates through experimental, numerical, and analytical methods and have found that bonded composite repairs are effective in controlling crack damage propagation in thin plates. The use of double-sided composite repairs has been found to improve repair performance within certain limits. This study focuses on these limits and optimizes double-sided composite repairs by varying adhesive bond and composite patch parameters. The optimization process begins with a finite element analysis to determine the stress intensity factor (SIF) for various variables and levels, followed by the application of the Taguchi method to find the optimal combination of parameters for maximizing the normalized SIF. In conclusion, we successfully determined the stress intensity factor (SIF) for various variations and normalized it for optimization. An optimization study was then performed using the Taguchi design and the results were analyzed. Our findings demonstrate the repair performance of bonded composite patches using a cost-effective and energy-efficient approach.

“FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF TRANSDERMAL PATCH OF AMLODIPIN BESYLATE”

A Transdermal patch is a medicated adhesive patch that is placed on the skin to deliver a distinct dose of medication through the skin and into the blood stream. The transdermal drug delivery system is one of novel drug delivery system which overcomes arise from the traditional dosage form. The preformulation studies involves description, solubility, melting point of the drug were found to be comparable with the standard. Based on the preformulation studies the drug was suitable for making the transdermal formulation. In this transdermal drug delivery system F5 was having greater % drug release. The formulation F5 shows better extended release up to 24hrs when compared to other formulations. So it was concluded that the formulation F5 prepared by using Eudragit RS100 and HPMC is the better formulation for control release of drug up to 24hrs of time. However, the best formulation F-5 follows first order kinetics and the mechanism of diffusion. Results of the present study encouraged that it can be used as controlled drug delivery system and frequency of administration can be minimized.

Deep Eutectic Solvents-based Ionogels with Ultrafast Gelation and High Adhesion in Harsh Environments.

Adhesive materials have recently drawn intensive attention due to their excellent sealing ability, thereby stimulating advances in materials science and industrial usage. However, reported adhesives usually exhibit weak adhesion strength, require high pressure for strong bonding, and display severe adhesion deterioration in various harsh environments. In this work, instead of water or organic solvents, a deep eutectic solution (DES) was used as the medium for photopolymerization of zwitterionic and polarized monomers, thus generating a novel ionogel with tunable mechanical properties. Multiple hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions between DES and monomers facilitated ultrafast gelation and instant bonding without any external pressure, which was rarely reported previously. Furthermore, high adhesion in different harsh environments (e.g., water, acidic and basic buffers, and saline solutions) and onto hydrophilic (e.g., glass and tissues) and hydrophobic (e.g., polymethyl methacrylate, polystyrene, and polypropylene) adherends was demonstrated. Also, high stretchability of the ionogel at extreme temperatures (-80 and 80 °C) indicated its widespread applications. Furthermore, the biocompatible ionogel showed high burst pressure onto stomach and intestine tissues to prevent liquid leakage, highlighting its potential as an adhesive patch. This ionogel provides unprecedented opportunities in the fields of packaging industry, marine engineering, medical adhesives, and electronic assembly.

Adhesive Composite Hydrogel Patch for Sustained Transdermal Drug Delivery To Treat Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease. Continuous administration of steroids often causes undesired side effects; hence, drug delivery systems with high loading capacities and sustained release profiles are required. Herein, adhesive hydrogels for sustained transdermal delivery of dexamethasone (DEX), a potent corticosteroid, have been suggested for AD treatment. The adhesive composite hydrogels comprise a double network of polyacrylamide (PAM) and polydopamine (PDA) embedded with extra-large-pore mesoporous silica nanoparticles (XL-MSNs). The intrinsic skin adhesiveness of the dopamine-derived PAM/PDA hydrogels is further enhanced by XL-MSN incorporation that contributes to the simultaneous enhancement of cohesion and adhesion of the hydrogel. The resulting adhesive hydrogels exhibit a high water content and strong adhesion to porcine skin. A sustained release of DEX is obtained when DEX is loaded within the pores of XL-MSNs in PAM/PDA hydrogels compared to the rapid release from the direct loading of DEX in hydrogels. Application of DEX-loaded MSN@PAM/PDA hydrogels on an AD mouse model led to the significant suppression of AD symptoms, including the restoration of the thickened epidermal layer, decrease in inflammatory cell infiltration in the skin, recovery of collagen deposition, and decreased levels of immunoglobulin E. XL-MSN-embedded adhesive hydrogels could be a potential platform for topical drug delivery to treat inflammatory skin diseases.

Comparison of adhesive single-lead cardiac ECG patch device with Holter monitoring for detecting atrial fibrillation after an acute cerebral ischemic event: An interim analysis

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Ministry of Health Malaysia Background Stroke secondary to atrial fibrillation (AF) is common and often associated with higher risk of stroke recurrence. Detection of AF is challenging due to brief unpredictable episodes of AF runs, especially in patients whose admission electrocardiogram (ECG) demonstrates a sinus rhythm. Probability of AF detection may be higher with early initiation of prolonged ECG monitoring. Purpose To compare diagnostic yield of 7-day cardiac ECG patch versus 24-hour Holter monitoring for detecting AF≥30 seconds; to identify predictors of AF in stroke patients; to determine if 7-day cardiac ECG patch results in a change in clinical practice. Methods In this investigator-initiated prospective study with pairwise comparison of 24-hour Holter and 7-day cardiac ECG patch monitoring, 150 patients who were admitted to a tertiary referral centre with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) or transient ischemic attack (TIA) within 1 week, without known AF, and had sinus rhythm in the admission 12-lead ECG were enrolled. Each patient underwent simultaneous 24-hour Holter and 7-day cardiac ECG patch monitoring. Routine transthoracic echocardiography was performed on each patient to assess cardiac function and exclude intracardiac thrombus. Results There were 102 (68.0%) male patients. 12 (8.0%) patients had underlying history of coronary artery disease; 26 (17.3%) had recurrent stroke or TIA. On admission, median NIH Stroke scale was 4; 18 (12.0%) patients had thrombolysis with alteplase. On transthoracic echocardiography, none had intracardiac thrombus. Both Holter and cardiac ECG patch monitoring were initiated simultaneously at median 2 days after index stroke event. Of 150 patients, 17 (11.3%) detected AF ≥30 seconds. Of these 17 patients, 7 (4.7%) had AF detected within the first 24 hours on both Holter and cardiac ECG patch; 10 (6.7%) were detected after 24 hours on cardiac ECG patch only. Number needed to screen to detect one AF was 6. Compliance to 7-day cardiac ECG patch monitoring was 81.3%. There was no significant difference in age among patients with and without AF. Although left atrium (LA) was not found to be dilated in patients with AF, LA volume index was significantly higher (28.3±15.9 vs 21.8±8.5, p=0.018) and LA emptying fraction (LAEF) was significantly lower (38.0%±30.2 vs 52.6%±16.7, p=0.007). The prolonged 7-day cardiac ECG monitoring patch resulted in 1.5-fold increase in prescription of anticoagulation therapy. Conclusions A 7-day cardiac ECG patch monitoring detected more patients with AF ≥30 seconds than 24-hour Holter monitoring and resulted in increase in prescription of anticoagulation therapy. Higher LA volume index and lower LA emptying fraction were predictors of AF in patients with a recent stroke.

Smart Skin‐Adhesive Patches: From Design to Biomedical Applications

AbstractWith the advancement of medical and digital technologies, smart skin adhesive patches have emerged as a key player for complex medical purposes. In particular, skin adhesive patches with integrated electronics have created an excellent platform for monitoring health conditions and intelligent medication. However, the efficient design of the adhesive patches is still challenging as it requires a strong combination of network structure, adhesion, physical properties, and biocompatibility. To design an assimilated device, one must have a deep knowledge of various skin adhesive patches. This article provides a comprehensive review of the recent advances in skin‐adhesive patches, including hydrogel‐based adhesive patches, transdermal patches, and electronic skin (E‐skin) patches, for various biomedical applications such as wound healing, drug delivery, biosensing, and health monitoring. Furthermore, the key challenges, implementable strategies, and future designs that can potentially provide researchers in designing innovative multipurpose smart skin patches are discussed. These advanced approaches are promising for managing the health and fitness of patients who require regular medical care.

Adhesive ginsenoside compound K patches for cartilage tissue regeneration.

Biomaterial-based drug delivery systems have been developed to expedite cartilage regeneration; however, challenges related to drug recovery, validation, and efficient drug delivery remain. For instance, compound K (CK) is a major metabolite of ginsenosides that is known to protect against joint degeneration by inhibiting the production of inflammatory cytokines and the activation of immune cells. However, its effects on cartilage degradation and tissue regeneration remain unclear. Additionally, tissue-adhesive drug delivery depots that stably adhere to cartilage defects are required for CK delivery. In this study, CK-loaded adhesive patches were reported to seal cartilage defects and deliver CK to defect sites, preventing cartilage degradation and accelerating cartilage tissue regeneration. Adhesive patches are stable and suitable for application in surgical procedures under physiological conditions and show excellent adhesiveness to cartilage surfaces. In addition, there were no significant differences in the adhesive polymeric networks before and after CK loading. CK-loaded hydrocaffeic acid-conjugated chitosan patches significantly inhibited the stimulation of cartilage-degrading enzymes and apoptosis in osteoarthritic cartilage by releasing CK in cartilage defects. Additionally, the NFkB signaling pathway of released CK from the adhesive patches in the treatment of osteoarthritis is revealed. Thus, the CK-loaded adhesive patches are expected to significantly contribute to cartilage regeneration.

Tough gel adhesive is an effective method for meniscal repair in a bovine cadaveric study

PurposeTo test tough gel adhesives to repair meniscus tears under relevant loading conditions and determine if they have adequate biomechanical properties to repair meniscus tears in a bovine cadaveric study.MethodsCyclic compression tests on 24 dissected bovine knees were performed. The tough gel adhesive was used either as an adhesive patch or as a coating bonded onto commercially available surgical sutures. Forty-eight menisci were tested in this study; 24 complete radial tears and 24 bucket-handle tears. After preconditioning, the specimens underwent 100 cycles of compression, (800 N/0.5 Hz) on an Instron© machine and the size of the gaps measured. One third of the menisci were repaired with pristine sutures, one third with adhesive patches, and one third with sutures coated in adhesive gel. The size of the gaps was compared after 100 and 500 cycles of compression.ResultsThe mean gap measured at the tear site without treatment was 6.46 mm (± 1.41 mm) for radial tears and 1.92 mm (± 0.65 mm) for bucket-handle tears. After treatment and 500 cycles of compression, the mean gap was 1.63 mm (± 1.41 mm) for pristine sutures, 1.50 mm (± 1.16 mm) for adhesive sutures and 2.06 mm (± 1.53 mm) for adhesive gel patches. There was no significant difference between treatments regardless of the type of tear. Also, the gaps for radial tears increased significantly with the number of compression cycles applied (p > 0.001).ConclusionFrom a biomechanical standpoint, the tough adhesive gel patch is as effective as suturing. In addition, it would allow the repair of non-suturable tears and thus broaden the indications for meniscus repair.Level of evidenceControlled laboratory study.

Новый способ фиксации эпидурального катетера при проведении спинально-эпидуральной анестезии в травматологии

Purpose. To assess the advantage of a new method of insertion and fixation of an epidural catheter (EC) in the subcutaneous canal using a modified spinal needle (MSN) when performing combined two-level spinal-epidural anesthesia (CTSEA) in comparison with the standard method of fixing EC in elderly and senile patients during bone fracture repair of the lower extremity. Material. We analyzed 118 cases of CTSEA during trauma surgery in elderly and senile patients. The patients were divided into two groups. The first group (control) consisted of 63 patients who, during the course of CTSEA, had an epidural catheter fixed to the skin by a standard method with an adhesive patch. In the second group (experimental), 55 patients underwent EC which were fixed in the subcutaneous canal using a modified spinal needle. Result. In the study group, no internal dislocation of EC was noted. In the same group, compared with the comparison group, there were 15.9 % fewer cases of severe dislocation in which there is a risk of deterioration in the quality of anesthesia; external dislocation in which there was a threat of EC falling out oc-curred 12 % less; EC fell out of the epidural space (ES) 2.6 times less frequently. Conclusion. A new method of conducting EC in the subcutaneous canal using MSN promotes reliable fixation of the catheter, creates conditions that prevent its dislocation and loss from the ES, thereby allowing an effective and long-term postoperative analgesia. The method of fixation of the catheter does not lead to an increase in the cost of the CTSEA technique.

Development and optimization of an ocular hydrogel adhesive patch using definitive screening design (DSD).

Adhesive hydrogels based on chemically modified photocrosslinkable polymers with specific physicochemical properties are frequently utilized for sealing wounds or incisions. These adhesive hydrogels offer tunable characteristics such as tailorable tissue adhesion, mechanical properties, swelling ratios, and enzymatic degradability. In this study, we developed and optimized a photocrosslinkable adhesive patch, GelPatch, with high burst pressure, minimal swelling, and specific mechanical properties for application as an ocular (sclera and subconjunctival) tissue adhesive. To achieve this, we formulated a series of hydrogel patches composed of different polymers with various levels of methacrylation, molecular weights, and hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties. A computerized multifactorial definitive screening design (DSD) analysis was performed to identify the most prominent components impacting critical response parameters such as adhesion, swelling ratio, elastic modulus, and second order interactions between applied components. These parameters were mathematically processed to generate a predictive model that identifies the linear and non-linear correlations between these factors. In conclusion, an optimized formulation of GelPatch was selected based on two modified polymers: gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) and glycidyl methacrylated hyaluronic acid (HAGM). The ex vivo results confirmed adhesion and retention of the optimized hydrogel subconjunctivally and on the sclera for up to 4 days. The developed formulation has potential to be used as an ocular sealant for quick repair of laceration type ocular injuries.

A multifunctional black phosphorus-based adhesive patch intrinsically induces partial EMT for effective burn wound healing.

The ultimate goal of cutaneous wound healing is to reform a stratified epithelium to restore the normal epidermal barrier, which involves the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. However, healing strategies based on EMT induction are immature and ambiguous to date. Excessive induction of EMT may cause fibrosis, hypertrophic scarring, and increased risk of malignancy. Here, we present a new EMT-inducing strategy for eliciting partial EMT to facilitate proper epithelial cell migration. The new EMT-inducing system integrates black phosphorus nanosheets (BPNSs), catechol-modified chitosan (CA-CS), and oxidized dextran (Odex) to engineer an adhesive hydrogel patch (C&BP-Patch) with remarkable efficacy on infectious burn wound healing. The C&BP-Patch can orchestrate key early skin wound healing processes including hemostasis, inflammation, and proliferation, which enable fast partial EMT induction to restore an intact epithelial barrier. The C&BP-Patch acts initially as a high-performance bio-sealant to create a moist and stable microenvironment for EMT. Moreover, the photothermal effects of the C&BP-Patch can eliminate bacteria, accelerate microcirculation and reduce inflammation to maintain a proper EMT. Most importantly, the BPNSs can intrinsically induce partial EMT of epithelial cells via a Snail1-mediated signaling pathway. Therefore, our study proposes a new strategy for effective infectious burn wound healing based on inducing partial EMT.

Artificial intelligence-driven wearable technologies for neonatal cardiorespiratory monitoring: Part 1 wearable technology.

With the development of Artificial Intelligence techniques, smart health monitoring is becoming more popular. In this study, we investigate the trend of wearable sensors being adopted and developed in neonatal cardiorespiratory monitoring. We performed a search of papers published from the year 2000 onwards. We then reviewed the advances in sensor technologies and wearable modalities for this application.Common wearable modalities included clothing (39%); chest/abdominal belts (25%); and adhesive patches (15%). Popular singular physiological information from sensors included electrocardiogram (15%), breathing (24%), oxygen saturation and photoplethysmography (13%). Many studies (46%) incorporated a combination of these signals.There has been extensive research in neonatal cardiorespiratory monitoring using both single and multi-parameter systems. Poor data quality is a common issue and further research into combining multi-sensor information to alleviate this should be investigated. IMPACT STATEMENT: State-of-the-art review of sensor technology for wearable neonatal cardiorespiratory monitoring. Review of the designs for wearable neonatal cardiorespiratory monitoring. The use of multi-sensor information to improve physiological data quality has been limited in past research. Several sensor technologies have been implemented and tested on adults that have yet to be explored in the newborn population.

A Review on Transdermal Drug Delivery: Design, Evaluation and Approach towards Painless Drug Delivery System

Transdermal drug delivery systems were developed in order to overcome the difficulties associated with oral drug delivery. Through an adhesive patch affixed to the skin, transdermal patches deliver medications into the bloodstream. This treatment may benefit damaged areas of the body. Unlike oral, topical, intramuscular, and intravenous drug delivery methods, transdermal drug delivery enables controlled drug release into the body. Body heat is used to melt thin layers of medication embedded in the adhesive through the transdermal patch's porous membrane. As a barrier against foreign invaders, the skin serves as a protective layer. A medication with a molecular weight less than 500 Da can penetrate the stratum corneum through the outermost layer of the skin. An overview of transdermal patches is provided in this review article, including matrix patches, reservoir patches, membrane patches, micro reservoir patches, and patches that contain drugs in adhesive forms. These dosage forms have also been evaluated using various methods.

A Comprehensive Review: Transdermal Drug Delivery System: A Tool For Novel Drug Delivery System

In the recent decade, skin delivery (topical and transdermal) has gained an unprecedented popularity, especially due to increased incidences of chronic skin diseases, demand for targeted and patient compliant delivery and interest in life cycle management strategies among pharmaceutical companies. Transdermal drug delivery system was presented to overcome the difficulties of drug delivery especially oral route. Transdermal drug delivery refers to a means of delivering drugs through the surface of the skin for local or systemic treatment. The drug functions after absorption through the skin into the systemic circulation via capillary action at a certain rate. Transdermal patches are now widely used as cosmetic, topical and transdermal delivery systems. These patches represent a key outcome from the growth in skin science, technology and expertise developed through trial and error, clinical observation and evidence-based studies that date back to the first existing human records. A transdermal patch is a medicated adhesive patch that is placed on the skin to deliver a specific dose of medication through skin and into the bloodstream. An advantage of a transdermal drug delivery route over other types of delivery system such as oral, topical, intravenous (i.v.), intramuscular (i.m.), etc. is that the patch provides a controlled release of the medication into the patient, usually through either a porous membrane covering a reservoir of medication or through body heat melting thin layers of medication embedded in the adhesive. The main disadvantage to transdermal delivery systems stems from the fact that the skin composition offers very effective barrier that allow only small molecule based drugs to penetrate the skin and pass through the barrier. Sildenafil citrate (SLD) is a selective cyclic guanosine monophosphate-specific phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor used for the oral treatment of erectile dysfunction and more recently, it has been used for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension and the enhancement of uteroplacental perfusion in case of fetal growth retardation. The challenges facing the oral administration of the drug include poor bioavailability and short duration of action that requires frequent administration. The main objective of transdermal drug delivery system is to deliver drugs into systemic circulation through skin at predetermined rate with minimal inter and intrapatient variations. Keyword: Skin delivery, Transdermal drug delivery, Oral rout, Sildenafil citrate, Pulmonary arterial hypertension

The influence of substrate stiffness on interfacial stresses for adhesive microfibrils

Bioinspired microfibrillar surfaces adhere by exploiting the presence of intermolecular forces at the contact interface. Experimental work has shown that compliant mushroom shaped fibrils can facilitate optimal adhesion across a range of substrates. This work evaluates numerically how fibril contact tip shape and the degree of elastic mismatch at the fibril-substrate interface influence adhesion. In a finite element simulation of fibrils subject to a remote stress, the interfacial stress distributions that define the detachment behaviour are computed for a range of fibril cap diameters, thicknesses, and substrate stiffnesses. Depending on the substrate stiffness, there is a singular stress field present at the edge of contact for smaller mushroom cap and straight punch fibrils while the stress at the corner for larger mushroom fibrils tends to zero. This variation in fibril-substrate interfacial stress has implications for the most probable defect type to initiate detachment and the stability of this crack growth. For fibrils within this corner singularity regime, the adhesion strength of a patch of fibrils is determined using interfacial fracture mechanics. The simulations are compared with experimental data of pull-off strengths and the biomedical applications of adhesive microfibrillar patches are considered.

Microtemplated Electrowetting for Fabrication of Shape‐Controllable Microdomes in Extruded Microsucker Arrays toward Octopus‐Inspired Dry/Wet Adhesion

AbstractInspired by the prominent adhesion ability of octopus suckers, many dry/wet adhesives with specific micro‐structure have been fabricated for applications in smart robots, manipulators, and medical treatments. However, the reported octopus‐inspired adhesive patches are either suction‐assistant without tight‐sealing, or suction‐sealed but inefficient under both dry/wet environments. Here, a microtemplated electrowetting method is developed for the fabrication of reversible dry/wet adhesive pads consisting of extruded microsuckers with suction‐enhanced microdomes and sealing‐ring tips. The mechanism toward the morphology regulation of microdomes illustrates the uneven electrohydrodynamic force on the liquid–air interface that changes the liquid meniscus and achieves the precise regulation of the microdomes curvature ratio (from 0.45 to 0.74). The tip spacing can be controlled (from 0 to 50 µm) by using different templates. Theoretical and experimental insights into the mechanism of the microdomes morphology and the tip spacing on adhesion are discussed. With optimized microdomes and maximized sealing‐tips, this adhesive patch generates strong and repeatable adhesion on a silicon wafer in both air (≈ 86 kPa) and underwater (≈ 61 kPa) environments. Besides, considerable adhesion to the rough surfaces are also revealed. Its adhesion ability is demonstrated with stable transportation of various objects under air/underwater environments, providing a potential application in cross‐media operation.

Comparative electrocardiographic study of the Asian freshwater box turtle Cuora flavomarginata and the Asian yellow pond turtle Mauremys mutica using non-invasive methods.

Evaluation of cardiac function is an integral part of clinical examination of chelonians. However, information about electrocardiography (ECG) in turtles and tortoises is limited and fragmentary. Its application is limited due to the lack of ECG reference values. This study aimed to compare specific ECG parameters using non-invasive methods in the Asian box turtle Cuora flavomarginata (CF) and the Asian yellow pond turtle Mauremys mutica (MM). We included 116 clinically healthy and conscious turtles. Two non-invasive methods, using adhesive patches or crocodile clips, for ECG were applied where possible. The ambient temperature was within the preferred optimum temperature zone of both species. We used specific digital ECG monitoring equipment to record the ECG data and analysed the data using specific software. The MM group showed better ECG quality and lower heart rate than the CF group. Comparing both methods, the adhesive patches method yielded higher ECG quality in the CF group, while the crocodile clips method yielded higher ECG quality in the MM group. The study population was selected as presumed healthy turtles; the presence of systemic or cardiac disease could not be excluded completely due to limited investigation. Both ECG methods were clinically potentially useful for obtaining ECG parameters; the ECG quality was influenced by the method used.

Transdermal Patches Approach Towards Self-Nano-Emulsifying Drug Delivery System (SNEDDS) Using Essential Oil as Penetration Enhancer

Abstract: A transdermal patch is a topically applied adhesive patch that delivers a medication dose directly into the blood. The patch allows for the safe delivery of a drug to the targeted site, ideally by a permeable layer covering a reservoir of the drug by melting small patches of drug embedded in the adhesive, which is one benefit of transdermal drug delivery over most types of pharmaceutical deliveries, including oral, topical, intramuscular, intravenous, and several others. This can also help heal a damaged body part, improving patient compliance, treatment efficacy, and dose frequency while minimizing the side effects. This review covers the production, methods of evaluation, quality, use of penetration enhancers, and pros and downsides of transdermal patches, as well as the benefits of essential oil as a penetration enhancer. Compared to chemical enhancers, essential oils have shown the ability to break down the stratum corneum layer, allowing drugs to penetrate deeper into the skin. Essential oils are excellent penetration enhancers for the skin. These penetration enhancers are cost-effective, biocompatible, readily available, non-toxic, chemically modifiable, and possibly biodegradable. In this review, attention has been paid to the formulation and evaluation of transdermal patches with the help of SNEDDS (self-nano-emulsifying drug delivery systems) using essential oil as a penetration enhancer, and their future prospects.

Potential Limitations in the Clinical Adoption of 3-GEP Pigmented Lesion Assay for Melanoma Triage by Dermatologists and Advanced Practice Practitioners.

Background A pigmented lesion assay (PLA) is used to non-invasively detect the presence of three genes associated with melanoma (LINC00518, PRAME, and TERT) using adhesive patch testing and has the potential to reduce unnecessary biopsies. However, few studies have evaluated the clinical applicability of PLA testing and its potential limitations in real-world practice. We aim to identify possible barriers that inhibit the clinical utility of PLA testing by dermatologists. Methods Retrospective case-control study analyzing the PLA testing by two pigmented-lesion specialists that underwent PLA testing as part of clinical management. Data was collected from April 2021 to April 2022 from an academic tertiary-level center. Results The total cohort consists of 472 lesions. Genetic analysis failure for LINC00518 and PRAME occurred in 12.5% of cases and in 70.9% of cases for TERT. In 38.5% of cases, PLA results were discrepant with histopathology. The additional time associated with PLA use independent from the patient's visit was 15 min on average. Conclusion The high proportion of non-actionable results and discrepant cases highlights potential barriers to the widespread adoption of PLA testing. The high proportion of genetic analysis failure seen for TERT and limited influence on the proposed risk suggests TERT does not offer significant clinical value.