Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER-Raebareli), Raebareli, UP, India.
J Microencapsul. 2024 Dec;41(8):782-803. doi: 10.1080/02652048.2024.2418613. Epub 2024 Oct 30.
Microneedle technology is a pivotal component of third-generation transdermal drug delivery systems featuring tiny needles that create temporary microscopic channels in the stratum corneum which facilitate drug penetration in the dermis. This review offers a detailed examination of the current types of microneedles, including solid, coated, dissolving, hollow, and swelling microneedles, along with their preparation techniques as well as their benefits and challenges. Use of 3D printing technology is especially gaining significant attention due to its ability to achieve the high dimensional accuracy required for precise fabrication. Additionally, its customisability presents significant potential for exploring new designs and creating personalised microneedles products. Furthermore, this review explores next generation microneedles, especially stimuli-responsive microneedle, bioinspired microneedle and microneedles combined with other transdermal technology like sonophoresis, electroporation and iontophoresis. Regulatory aspects, characterisation techniques, safety considerations, and cost factors have also been addressed which are crucial for translation from lab to the market.
微针技术是第三代透皮给药系统的关键组成部分，其特点是微小的针在角质层中形成临时的微观通道，促进药物渗透到真皮中。本文详细介绍了目前的微针类型，包括实心、涂层、溶解、空心和膨胀微针，以及它们的制备技术及其优缺点。3D 打印技术的应用尤其受到关注，因为它能够实现精确制造所需的高精度。此外，其可定制性为探索新设计和创建个性化微针产品提供了巨大潜力。此外，本文还探讨了下一代微针，特别是刺激响应微针、仿生微针以及与声、电、离子导入等其他透皮技术结合的微针。还讨论了监管方面、特征描述技术、安全性考虑因素和成本因素，这些因素对于从实验室到市场的转化至关重要。
