Betamethasone-loaded dissolvable microneedle patch for oral ulcer treatment

Oral inflammatory disease (OID) is among the most common oral lesions, affecting people's quality of life and even leading to oral cancer. Oral ulcers are the most common OID. However, the pain and fear caused by the localized injection of hormones hinder the clinical treatment of oral ulcers. To address this problem, soluble hyaluronic acid (HA) microneedle patches (BSP-BDP@HAMN) containing betamethasone 21-phosphate sodium (BSP) and betamethasone 17,21-dipropionate (BDP) were fabricated for potential application in oral ulcers. BSP-BDP@HAMNs had the sufficient mechanical strength to penetrate the rat tongue abdomen mucosa with an insertion depth of approximately 207 +/- 3 mu m. The rapidly solubilized HA microneedle carrier released BSP and BDP into the ulcer base within 3 min of entering the mucosa. Cellular assays have shown that BDP@HAMNs have wound healing-promoting and anti-inflammatory effects. Compared with topical injections and creams, BSP-BDP@HAMNs not only penetrated the ulcer surface painlessly but also worked deep in the ulcer for a long time. In conclusion, the proposed BSP-BDP@HAMN patch can improve the comfort and efficacy of oral ulcer treatment, thus providing a new prospect for oral ulcer treatment.

Automated summary

Oral inflammatory disease (OID), particularly oral ulcers, is a common oral lesion that affects quality of life and can lead to oral cancer. Traditional treatment methods for oral ulcers, such as localized hormone injections, can cause pain and fear. To address this, a soluble hyaluronic acid (HA) microneedle patch containing betamethasone 21-phosphate sodium (BSP) and betamethasone 17,21-dipropionate (BDP) was developed. The patch showed mechanical strength to penetrate the mucosa and released BSP and BDP into the ulcer base rapidly. It exhibited wound healing-promoting and anti-inflammatory effects, providing a new prospect for oral ulcer treatment.