Effect of applying modes of the polymer microneedle-roller on the permeation of L-ascorbic acid in rats

J Drug Target. 2010 Jan;18(1):15-20. doi: 10.3109/10611860903115274.

Abstract

Despite the advantages of drug delivery through skin, transdermal drug delivery is only used with a small subset of drugs because most compounds cannot cross the skin at therapeutically useful rates. Recently, a new concept known as microneedle was introduced and could be used to pierce effectively to deliver drugs using micron-sized needles in a minimally invasive and painless manner. In this study, the polymer microneedle-roller was fabricated so that it can be applied into the permeation of L-ascorbic acid. Moreover, a recent publication suggested the possibility of ascorbic acid 2-phosphate as a hair restorer; hence, this study was carried out to check the effect of L-ascorbic acid itself on the hair growing rate in rats according to the presence of various application frequencies of the polymer microneedle-roller. When the polymer microneedle-roller was applied nine times with four directions into rat's shaved skin, the permeation of L-ascorbic acid increased by 10.54-fold compared to that of the absence of the polymer microneedle-roller. The histological examination revealed that the skin pretreated with various application frequencies of the polymer microneedle-roller had more transport pathways. The faster hair growing phenomenon was observed in the presence of polymer microneedle-roller compared to the absence of the polymer microneedle-roller.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Cutaneous
  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / pharmacokinetics*
  • Ascorbic Acid / pharmacokinetics*
  • Biological Transport
  • Chemistry, Pharmaceutical / methods
  • Drug Delivery Systems
  • Needles
  • Permeability
  • Polymers / chemistry
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Skin Absorption*
  • Technology, Pharmaceutical / methods

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Polymers
  • Ascorbic Acid