Biomaterials as novel penetration enhancers for transdermal and dermal drug delivery systems

Abstract

The highly organized structure of the stratum corneum provides an effective barrier to the drug delivery into or across the skin. To overcome this barrier function, penetration enhancers are always used in the transdermal and dermal drug delivery systems. However, the conventional chemical enhancers are often limited by their inability to delivery large and hydrophilic molecules, and few to date have been routinely incorporated into the transdermal formulations due to their incompatibility and local irritation issues. Therefore, there has been a search for the compounds that exhibit broad enhancing activity for more drugs without producing much irritation. More recently, the use of biomaterials has emerged as a novel method to increase the skin permeability. In this paper, we present an overview of the investigations on the feasibility and application of biomaterials as penetration enhancers for transdermal or dermal drug delivery systems.

Getting Drugs Across Biological Barriers

“…It is believed that CDs form complexes with drugs, increasing their solubility and stability, but CDs are not believed to increase the permeability of drugs across the SC. [99–101] Transdermal transport of CD-drug complexes remains difficult. [102] One approach to increasing the permeability to the complexes is to functionalize the surface of the “cone” with lipophilic moieties.…”

A Synthetic Strategy for Conjugation of Paromomycin to Cell-Penetrating Tat(48-60) for Delivery and Visualization into Leishmania Parasites

“…Additional prospective advantages are the possibility to use CPP conjugates to target specific subcellular compartments by addition of import sequences modifying physicochemical properties [ 22 ]. Also, CPP-mediated delivery of PMM may increase biodistribution into deeper layers of the Leishmania ulcer, the CPP acting as a skin vehicle for the drug [ 23 , 24 ].…”

Chitosan Contribution to Therapeutic and Vaccinal Approaches for the Control of Leishmaniasis

“…According to the Food Drug Association (FDA), chitosan is a non-toxic, biodegradable, and biocompatible substance [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ]. This enables chitosan also to be used to as drug delivery vehicle, either parenterally or integrated in drug formulations for topical use [ 25 ]. Within this latter context, the added value of chitosan would also be the acceleration of wound healing [ 26 ].…”