نوع مقاله : مقاله کامل پژوهشی
موضوعات
عنوان مقاله English
نویسندگان English
In this study, dissolvable microneedle (MN) arrays based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) were designed, fabricated, and evaluated for the controlled transdermal delivery of curcumin (Cur@MN). Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the incorporation of curcumin within the PVA matrix, as evidenced by the presence of three characteristic peaks at 1510 cm⁻¹, 1603 cm⁻¹, and 1628 cm⁻¹. Optical and scanning electron microscopy revealed uniformly arranged, conical microneedles with sharp tips (<15 µm). Mechanical testing demonstrated successful penetration of five layers of Parafilm, indicating sufficient insertion strength for transdermal application. Drug release and degradation studies were conducted in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.4). The release profile exhibited an initial burst (60.31% within 12 hours), followed by sustained release up to 72 hours, reaching a cumulative release of 82.5%. Degradation tests showed faster structural breakdown in curcumin-loaded microneedles compared to unloaded ones. Furthermore, DPPH radical scavenging assays confirmed the significant antioxidant activity of Cur@MN, particularly at higher concentrations. These findings suggest that Cur@MN microneedles offer a promising, biocompatible platform for the transdermal delivery of natural therapeutics such as curcumin.
کلیدواژهها English