In Vitro Release of Glycyrrhiza Glabra Extract by a Gel-Based Microneedle Patch for Psoriasis Treatment

Ayeh Khorshidian; Niloufar Sharifi; Fatemeh Choupani Kheirabadi; Farnoushsadat Rezaei; Seyed Alireza Sheikholeslami; Ayda Ariyannejad; Javad Esmaeili; Hojat Basati; Aboulfazl Barati

doi:10.3390/gels10020087

In Vitro Release of Glycyrrhiza Glabra Extract by a Gel-Based Microneedle Patch for Psoriasis Treatment

Gels. 2024 Jan 23;10(2):87. doi: 10.3390/gels10020087.

Authors

Ayeh Khorshidian^{1

2}, Niloufar Sharifi^{2

3}, Fatemeh Choupani Kheirabadi^{2

4}, Farnoushsadat Rezaei⁵, Seyed Alireza Sheikholeslami^{2

6}, Ayda Ariyannejad^{2

7}, Javad Esmaeili^{2

6

8}, Hojat Basati^{2

9}, Aboulfazl Barati¹⁰

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biomedical Engineering, TISSUEHUB Co., Tehran 1956854977, Iran.
² Department of Tissue Engineering, TISSUEHUB Co., Tehran 1956854977, Iran.
³ School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450066, China.
⁴ Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz 54911, Iran.
⁵ Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
⁶ Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Arak University, Arak 3848177584, Iran.
⁷ Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Life Science and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran 1983969411, Iran.
⁸ Tissue Engineering Hub (TEHUB), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran 1956854977, Iran.
⁹ Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tehran University, Tehran 3584014179, Iran.
¹⁰ Center for Materials and Manufacturing Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Physics, Troy University, Troy, AL 36082, USA.

Abstract

Microneedle patches are attractive drug delivery systems that give hope for treating skin disorders. In this study, to first fabricate a chitosan-based low-cost microneedle patch (MNP) using a CO₂ laser cutter for in vitro purposes was tried and then the delivery and impact of Glycyrrhiza glabra extract (GgE) on the cell population by this microneedle was evaluated. Microscopic analysis, swelling, penetration, degradation, biocompatibility, and drug delivery were carried out to assess the patch's performance. DAPI staining and acridine orange (AO) staining were performed to evaluate cell numbers. Based on the results, the MNs were conical and sharp enough (diameter: 400-500 μm, height: 700-900 μm). They showed notable swelling (2 folds) during 5 min and good degradability during 30 min, which can be considered a burst release. The MNP showed no cytotoxicity against fibroblast cell line L929. It also demonstrated good potential for GgE delivery. The results from AO and DAPI staining approved the reduction in the cell population after GgE delivery. To sum up, the fabricated MNP can be a useful recommendation for lab-scale studies. In addition, a GgE-loaded MNP can be a good remedy for skin disorders in which cell proliferation needs to be controlled.

Keywords: burst release; drug delivery; microneedle patch; psoriasis; skin disorder.

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.