Dissolvable Microneedle Patch Using Sodium Alginate Dextrin Mixture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microneedle patches face issues with curled film surfaces, skew, and fractured microneedle structures, which affect their flatness and breaking tendency, making them unsuitable for effective drug delivery.
Innovation Solution
A dissolvable microneedle patch is developed using a mixture of sodium alginate and dextrin as an excipient, with a weight ratio of dextrin to sodium alginate ranging from 0.2 to 1, and including functional ingredients like hyaluronic acid and vitamin C, produced through a method involving a mold with grooves, aqueous solution injection, drying, and cutting to form microneedle substrates with a flat surface and low breaking tendency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If conventional microneedle patches are used, then microneedles can pierce the stratum corneum, but the film surface becomes curled and microneedles become skew or fractured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the excipient by using a mixture of sodium alginate and dextrin in specific weight ratios (0.2 to 1). This parameter change modifies the physical properties of the microneedle matrix, resulting in improved flatness of the film surface and reduced microneedle fracture during application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite excipient system combining sodium alginate and dextrin in specific proportions. This composite material approach creates a synergistic effect where the combination of two different polymers provides both structural integrity to prevent microneedle fracture and surface flatness to prevent curling, resolving the contradiction between shape maintenance and structural reliability.
2Strength
If the microneedle patch is made with certain excipients, then the microneedles are strong, but the film surface curls and microneedles become skew
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the weight ratio parameters of dextrin to sodium alginate (0.2 to 1) to achieve the right balance between microneedle strength and film flatness. By adjusting these compositional parameters, the microneedles maintain sufficient strength for skin penetration while the film surface remains flat without curling.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite excipient system of sodium alginate and dextrin in controlled ratios provides both the mechanical strength needed for microneedle integrity and the surface properties that prevent film curling. The interaction between the two polymers creates a balanced material system that simultaneously satisfies both strength and flatness requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The patch achieves a flat surface and low breaking tendency, preventing curled film surfaces and fractured microneedle structures, ensuring effective drug delivery and stability.
Implementation Method 1
drying the aqueous solution to form a microneedle substrate
Data Source
AI summary
A dissolvable microneedle patch includes a microneedle portion and a patch portion. The microneedle portion has a base and a plurality of microneedles. The base has a first surface and a second surface opposite thereto. The microneedles are connected to the first surface. The patch portion is connected to the second surface. The microneedle portion is made from a mixture, and the mixture includes an excipient. The excipient includes sodium alginate and dextrin, and a weight ratio of the dextrin to the sodium alginate is 0.2 to 1. In addition, the present invention also provides a method to produce the dissolvable microneedle patch.