Ultrasound-mediated Transdermal Drug Delivery Nanogel Using Carboxymethylated Tunicated Cellulose

초록

Annually, 8 kilotons of tunicates are produced, with 43% of the shells discarded as waste, resulting in environmental pollution. Tunicate cellulose (TC) exhibits superior mechanical strength compared to plant cellulose, making it suitable for biomaterial applications. Existing transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS) confront challenges, including limited skin barrier permeation, local irritation, skin damage, low biocompatibility, low drug encapsulation efficiency, and highly variable release. Nanogels possess flexible structures and drug release control, with particle sizes matching skin stratum corneum gaps for penetration. Integrated with ultrasound, skin barriers are relaxed to enhance drug penetration. However, ultrasound-generated heat and vibrations can destabilize nanostructures. Its high crystallinity provides exceptional mechanical properties, minimizing structural deformation during ultrasound irradiation. Its high aspect ratio effectively disperses forces within the network, while hydroxyl groups maintain moisture and stability during sonication. This study proposes changing marine by-products into high-value materials by developing TC-based nanogels for ultrasound-mediated TDDS.