New patch uses ultrasound to deliver drugs through the skin

Many drugs have two options for administration - withusing oral or intravenous administration. However, in the first case, large doses are needed, and in the second, unpleasant sensations are possible, and both methods do not make it possible to accurately direct the drugs to the right place. But a team of scientists has come up with a solution to both problems: delivering drugs through the skin, right to the right place. The new wearable patch uses ultrasonic pulses to expand the pores of the skin, which increases the effectiveness of the drug at the site of application. Moreover, patients can use the patch on their own, without visiting medical facilities, to administer drugs through the veins or with the help of tablets. This device also allows you to control the rate and volume of drug delivery, which allows you to accurately adjust the dosage.

Ultrasound is used in many areas including medicine, industry and science.

Content

• 1 Special properties of the ultrasonic patch
• 2 Ultrasound and its applications
• 3 Ultrasonic patch testing
• 4 Treatment of diseases with an innovative patch

Special properties of the ultrasonic patch

The skin has barrier properties thatmay limit the penetration of drugs. In addition, using the skin as a delivery method for drugs can lead to drug degradation or low efficacy.

Ultrasound can be hazardous to health ifuse it incorrectly. For example, high intensity ultrasound can cause tissue and organ damage, and prolonged exposure to ultrasound can lead to illnesses such as headache and fatigue.

However, there is a new wearable patch thatuses ultrasonic pulses to overcome these limitations and deliver drugs more efficiently. The team that developed the system called it “conformal ultrasonic sonophoresis,” which is encapsulated in a hydrogel that adheres to the skin. Inside the patch are four transducers connected by copper wires to transmit electricity. Each transducer has a cavity with drug molecules dissolved in the liquid, and when the transducers receive energy, they begin to vibrate, creating bubbles in the liquid. These vesicles create micro jets of fluid that pass through the tough outer layer of the skin and create temporary micropores through which drugs can enter the body.

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Ultrasound and its application

The device uses ultrasound to removethe top layer of the skin, allowing the drugs to enter the bloodstream. The researchers experimented on pig skin using a device that emits both high and low frequency ultrasonic waves into a liquid applied to the skin. Ultrasound causes bubbles to form in the liquid, which burst, creating microjets on the skin. These jets create microscopic abrasions, allowing the drug to enter the patient's body. The process is painless, and the top layer of skin grows back in a few hours.

Ultrasonic waves have a frequency above 20 kHz,which is above the upper limit of human hearing. This means that we cannot hear ultrasound, but many animals, including dogs, cats and dolphins, can.

Scientists have previously explored the uselow frequency ultrasound for this purpose, since high frequency ultrasound does not have enough energy to pop the bubbles. In previous experiments, abrasions were applied unevenly, partly due to the creation of additional bubbles by high frequency waves. However, the new device uses high frequency ultrasound to hold the bubbles in the target area.

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Ultrasonic patch testing

In a new study, researchers haveexperiments on pig skin samples that have been injected with a B vitamin called niacinamide, which is widely used in sunscreens and moisturizers. They found that this system allowed drug molecules to penetrate the skin 26 times more than a conventional patch without the use of ultrasound.

Ultrasound can be used to clean surfaces from dirt and stains.

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The scientists also compared this system with another newPainless drug delivery method - microneedle patches that contain small spikes with medicine that penetrate the skin and dissolve. The ultrasonic patch delivered a useful dose of niacinamide in 30 minutes, while the microneedle patch took six hours to achieve the same effect.

Treatment of diseases with an innovative patch

Research shows that this techniquemay be particularly effective for the delivery of drugs that are used to treat skin diseases such as skin cancer, burns, or signs of aging. With further development of this system, it will be able to penetrate even deeper to reach the bloodstream, for example, to deliver fentanyl, hormones including insulin and progesterone. As a result, this technique can even help in the painless creation of tattoos.

Ultrasound is also used to increase the rate of reactions in chemical processes.

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Ease of use and high repeatability,provided by this system represent an attractive alternative for patients and consumers suffering from skin diseases and signs of aging. Drug delivery in this way can reduce systemic toxicity and be more precisely targeted, convenient, and controlled.