Microcurrent Cloth-Assisted Transdermal Penetration and Follicular Ducts Escape of Curcumin-Loaded Micelles for Enhanced Wound Healing

Abstract

Purpose Larger nanoparticles of bioactive compounds deposit high concentrations in follicular ducts after skin penetration. In this study, we investigated the effects of microcurrent cloth on the skin penetration and translocation of large nanoparticle applied for wound repair applications. Methods A self-assembly of curcumin-loaded micelles (CMs) was prepared to improve the water solubility and transdermal efficiency of curcumin. Microcurrent cloth (M) was produced by Zn/Ag electrofabric printing to facilitate iontophoretic transdermal delivery. The transdermal performance of CMs combined with M was evaluated by a transdermal system and confocal microscopy. The CMs/iontophoretic combination effects on nitric oxide (NO) production and inflammatory cytokines were evaluated in Raw 264.7 cells. The wound-healing property of the combined treatment was assessed in a surgically created full-thickness circular wound mouse model. Results Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed the presence of Zn/Ag on the microcurrent cloth. The average potential of M was measured to be +214.6 mV in PBS. Large particle CMs (CM-L) prepared using surfactant/cosurfactant present a particle size of 142.9 nm with a polydispersity index of 0.319. The solubility of curcumin in CM-L was 2143.67 μg/mL, indicating 250-fold higher than native curcumin (8.68 μg/mL). The combined treatment (CM-L+M) demonstrated a significant ability to inhibit NO production and increase IL-6 and IL-10 secretion. Surprisingly, microcurrent application significantly improved 20.01-fold transdermal performance of curcumin in CM-L with an obvious escape of CM-L from follicular ducts to surrounding observed by confocal microscopy. The CM-L+M group also exhibited a better wound-closure rate (77.94% on day 4) and the regenerated collagen intensity was approximately 2.66-fold higher than the control group, with a closure rate greater than 90% on day 8 in vivo. Conclusion Microcurrent cloth play as a promising iontophoretic transdermal drug delivery accelerator that enhances skin penetration and assists CMs to escape from follicular ducts for wound repair applications.

Advancing Transdermal Delivery by Zn/Ag-Electrode-Printed Iontophoretic Patch with Self-Generating Microcurrents

“…The Zn particles did not fully cover the underlying silk fibers (Figure 2C,D). Furthermore, the SEM images of the Zn/Ag printed pattern vividly demonstrated that the metallic particles formed a layer over the underlying silk fibers, and the energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analysis, as outlined in our previous study [18], confirmed the presence of Ag and Zn on the Zn/Ag electrode-printed patches. SEM should be used to characterize the microstructure of the iontophoretic patches, as this information provides insight into the electrochemical properties of the electrodes and the overall performance of the patches.…”

“…Silver (Ag) ink (Creative Materials Inc., Ayer, MA, USA) or carbon (C) ink (Creative Materials Inc., Ayer, MA, USA) were used to print the cathode, and an in-house zinc ink, consisting of Zn particles (<10 µm; Sigma Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA), was used for the anode. Zn/Ag ink and Zn/C ink were printed on a silk substrate to prepare the Zn/Ag or the Zn/C-electrode-printed patches, manufactured by xTrans Creative Inc (Taipei, Taiwan) [18]. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA; Sigma Aldrich), a biocompatible binder, was used to hold the Zn particles in the ink and effectively adhere the particles to the supporting fabric during the printing and curing [19][20][21].…”

“…These findings indicate that the use of biocompatible Zn/Ag-electrode-printed patches is an effective method for enhancing the transdermal delivery of drugs and other small molecules. The development of biocompatible, self-generating microcurrent devices has great potential for improving the delivery of drugs and other small molecules for a range of biomedical applications, including the treatment of skin conditions and wound healing [18]. The ability to selfgenerate microcurrents in the presence of biological fluids increases the versatility and usefulness of the patches in a range of clinical settings.…”