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Review
. 2020 May;15(3):273-291.
doi: 10.1016/j.ajps.2019.05.004. Epub 2019 Jul 9.

Microsponges for dermatological applications: Perspectives and challenges

Sheefali Mahant  1 , Sunil Kumar  2 , Sanju Nanda  1 , Rekha Rao  2
Affiliations
Review

Microsponges for dermatological applications: Perspectives and challenges

Sheefali Mahant et al. Asian J Pharm Sci. 2020 May.

Abstract

Dermatological disorders have a huge psychosocial impact, causing significant impairment of patient's life. Topical therapy plays a pivotal role in management of such disorders. Conventional topical delivery systems result in overmedication/undermedication, leading to adverse effects and reduction in therapeutic efficacy. Consequently, researchers have been striving towards the development of alternative delivery systems for dermatological applications. In the last decade, microsponges emerged as an attractive option for topical delivery. Their characteristic particle size offers enhanced benefits, making them superior to the contemporary microcarriers. The present review furnishes a comprehensive account of state of the art, important factors affecting the performance and mechanism of drug release from topically applied microsponges, along with characterization techniques. Further, a list of marketed products and their applications for common dermatological disorders has been presented. All in all, this paper is an attempt to lay a bibliographic foundation for researchers working in this field and foster further investigations in this arena.

Keywords: Dermatology; Drug release; Polymers; Safety aspects; Skin; Stability.

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Figures

Image, graphical abstract
Graphical abstract
Fig 1
Fig. 1
Microsponges under field emission scanning electron microscopy
Fig 2
Fig. 2
Fabrication of microsponges through Quasi-emulsion solvent diffusion method
Fig 3
Fig. 3
Mechanism of drug release from topical microsponges
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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