Penetration depth, concentration and efficiency of transdermal α-arbutin delivery after ultrasound treatment with albumin-shelled microbubbles in mice

Abstract

Penetration depth, concentration and efficiency of transdermal α-arbutin delivery after ultrasound treatment with albumin-shelled microbubbles in mice, Drug Delivery, 23:7, 2173-2182, DOI: 10.3109/10717544.2014 AbstractRecently, the feasibility and effects of using microbubbles (MBs) as an ultrasound (US) contrast agent for enhancing the penetration in transdermal delivery in vivo have been demonstrated, but the mechanism and efficiency are unclear. This study demonstrates the penetration depth, concentration and efficiency of transdermal a-arbutin delivery during 4 weeks after US treatment with MBs in mice. Experimental animals were randomly divided into the following four groups (n ¼ 5 animals per group): (1) penetrating a-arbutin alone (C), (2) US combined with penetrating a-arbutin, (3) US combined with MBs and penetrating a-arbutin, and (4) US combined with diluted MBs and penetrating a-arbutin (UBD). The penetration depths in agarose phantoms and pigskin were 47 and 84% greater for group UBD, respectively, than for group C. The in vitro skin penetration by 2% a-arbutin after 3 h was 83% greater in group UBD than in group C. The degree of in vivo skin whitening (quantified as the luminosity index) in group UBD significantly increased by 25% after 1 week, 34% after 2 weeks, and then stabilized after 3 weeks at 37% in C57BL/6J mice over a 4-week experimental period. Our results indicate that combined treatment with optimal US and MBs can increase skin permeability so as to enhance a-arbutin delivery to inhibit melanogenesis without damaging the skin in mice.

Middle‐ear dexamethasone delivery via ultrasound microbubbles attenuates noise‐induced hearing loss

“…A). Albumin MBs were kindly provided by Dr. AH Liao and prepared as described previously . The albumin MB mean diameter was 7.09 μm and the mean concentration was 2.9 × 10 9 /mL (Fig.…”

“…B). Our previous experiments determined that a 10‐fold MB dilution, which yields a concentration of approximately 10 8 bubbles/mL, gave the most effective penetration of agarose phantoms when combined with US . Therefore, 0.9 mL of DEX was mixed with 0.1 mL of albumin MBs.…”

Treatment effects of lysozyme-shelled microbubbles and ultrasound in inflammatory skin disease

“…The shell of MBs is primarily based on protein, polymer, or lipid coatings. Our previous studies have demonstrated different conditions of albumin-shelled MBs for enhancing their penetration in transdermal delivery in vivo 151617. Combined treatment with US and MBs can increase skin permeability and enhance α-arbutin delivery to inhibit melanogenesis without damaging the skin in mice15.…”

“…Our previous studies have demonstrated different conditions of albumin-shelled MBs for enhancing their penetration in transdermal delivery in vivo 151617. Combined treatment with US and MBs can increase skin permeability and enhance α-arbutin delivery to inhibit melanogenesis without damaging the skin in mice15. Combining US with MBs of different sizes can produce different degrees of skin permeability so as to enhance the delivery of high-molecular-weight drugs16.…”

Ultrasound microbubble-carried PNA targeting to c-myc mRNA inhibits the proliferation of rabbit iliac arterious smooth muscle cells and intimal hyperplasia

“…Contrast agent microbubbles combined with ultrasound-mediated targeted transfection of gene is a new, non-invasive, effective and convenient technique and can be used in the treatment of tumor or cardiovascular disease (Gong et al, 2014;Liao et al, 2014;Sun et al, 2014). Ultrasound-triggered microbubble destruction is considered as a method of target gene therapy for specific organ.…”