The use of dissolving microneedles presents a highly
desirable
approach for transdermal drug delivery, offering enhanced patient
safety and adherence. This study aimed to assess the release rate
of catechin when combined with various constituents in a poly(vinyl
alcohol) (PVA) microneedle patch. The impact of incorporating 2% dimethyl
sulfoxide (DMSO), 5% carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), 5% fructose, and
5% sucrose into the PVA microneedle patch was investigated. The manufactured
microneedles underwent comprehensive characterization through techniques
such as thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy,
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, measurement of thickness,
evaluation of antioxidant activity, determination of swelling ratio,
assessment of content uniformity, investigation of dissolving capability
in skin, analysis of erosion, and release studies. An ex vivo investigation
was conducted by using porcine skin and Franz diffusion cells to determine
the release rate. The CMC-based microneedle patch displayed the highest
catechin release (86.62 ± 4.69%) and swelling ratio (283.85 ±
3.21%). The analyses revealed that sugar enhances the microneedle
structure effectively, although it renders the structure brittle and
results in lower drug release compared with sugar-free microneedles.
Consequently, the CMC-based formulation emerged as the optimal choice
for the PVA microneedle patch.