Ionic Liquid Transdermal Drug Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current transdermal drug delivery methods face challenges in overcoming the skin's barrier, particularly the stratum corneum, and bacterial biofilms, which limits the effectiveness and causes skin irritation, and there is a need for compositions that enhance drug transport without irritation and inhibit microbial growth.
Innovation Solution
The use of neat ionic liquids, either alone or in combination with drugs, applied topically to enhance skin penetration and disrupt bacterial biofilms, providing a balance between transport enhancement and skin safety, while also inhibiting microbial growth on surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If chemical penetration enhancers are used to disrupt the stratum corneum barrier, then transdermal transport is enhanced, but skin irritation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the chemical properties of penetration enhancers through ionic liquid design. Specific ionic liquids with tailored cations and anions are selected to achieve optimal balance between transport enhancement and skin irritation. The patent systematically varies ionic liquid composition parameters to resolve the contradiction between effectiveness and safety
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by combining ionic liquids with drugs to create formulation composites. These composite formulations integrate the penetration-enhancing properties of ionic liquids with therapeutic agents, achieving both transdermal transport enhancement and reduced skin irritation through synergistic interactions
2Reliability
If conventional antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections, then bacterial growth is inhibited, but biofilm-protected bacteria remain resistant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses ionic liquids as intermediary substances that penetrate the biofilm barrier and deliver antibiotics to bacteria within the biofilm. The ionic liquids act as mediators that overcome the extracellular polymeric substances barrier, enabling the antibiotics to reach and kill protected bacteria
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the physical-chemical properties of antibiotic formulations through ionic liquid integration. This changes the delivery parameters to enable penetration through biofilm structures, transforming the antibiotics from ineffective against biofilm-protected bacteria to highly effective
3Productivity
If neat ionic liquids are used to enhance skin penetration, then transdermal delivery is improved, but formulation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by selecting ionic liquids that perform multiple functions simultaneously: they act as penetration enhancers, serve as solvents for drugs, and provide skin-conditioning properties. This multi-functionality reduces formulation complexity despite the advanced nature of ionic liquids
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 compositions achieve significant transdermal drug delivery with minimal skin irritation, effectively penetrating through the stratum corneum and disrupting bacterial biofilms, thus treating antibiotic-resistant infections and preventing microbial growth, with tunable properties for various applications.
Implementation Method 1
CPEs have been shown to enhance transport through the skin, for a variety of molecules, by disrupting the lipid composition and organization in the SC
Implementation Method 2
overcoming the transport barrier posed by the SC and biofilm can be accomplished in a similar manner, such as through fluidization or extraction of the barrier components by a suitable solvent
Implementation Method 3
overcoming the transport barrier posed by the SC and biofilm can be accomplished in a similar manner, such as through fluidization or extraction of the barrier components by a suitable solvent
Data Source
AI summary
The compositions and methods described herein are topically applied to the skin with negligible or no skin irritation and can direct or prevent transport through the skin. The compositions contain neat ionic liquids, optionally in combination with a drug to be delivered. In a preferred embodiment, the compositions increase transdermal transport of the drug to be delivered. In some embodiments, the compositions disrupt bacterial biofilms. This is particularly beneficial in the treatment of antibiotic resistant skin infections. In other embodiments, the compositions direct delivery within the skin. In still other embodiments, the compositions prevent transfer of substances through the stratum corneum. The disclosed compositions and methods can be tuned and modified such that they can be used to treat or prevent a variety of different diseases and disorders.