Biopolymers for microneedle synthesis: from then to now

Abstract

Biopolymeric microneedles have emerged as an efficient tool for transdermal drug delivery system. Being operational alternative to hypodermic needles and non-biopolymeric microneedles, they offer plethora of advantages and ease in drug administration over conventional tools. Needles/microneedles used in medical practise can be disposable devices but may not necessarily be biodegradable, whereas biopolymeric microneedles completely serves for the green technology approach at medical/pharmaceutical outlet. Over a decade, investigation has been engrossed on leveraging biopolymers for microneedle synthesis, however, it seems to be growing more towards synthetic biopolymers than those of non-synthetic/natural biopolymers, may be due to their inherent physico-chemical properties. Nonetheless the outcomes bestowed from the investigations on natural biopolymeric microneedles are surely pertinent to the future practical applications. Henceforth, with the purpose of having insight, illuminating their potential and encouraging their utilisation for developing drug delivery devices, this review summarizes them from then to now with their implicational advancement and clinical potential.