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@article{203011,
        author = {Viraj Vivek Lokhande and Gayatri Parmar and Sayali Patil and Kajal Patil and Shivam Rajak and Dr. Nilofar Khan},
        title = {PLGA Nanoparticle-Embedded Dissolving Microneedle Systems for Transdermal Ibuprofen Delivery: Formulation Design, Characterization, and Skin Permeation—A Structured Review},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {12},
        pages = {9705-9714},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=203011},
        abstract = {Transdermal drug delivery has attracted considerable clinical interest as a non-invasive administration route, chiefly because it circumvents hepatic first-pass metabolism and sidesteps gastrointestinal exposure—two factors that collectively limit the tolerability and bioavailability of many orally administered drugs. Despite these advantages, the outermost barrier of the skin, the stratum corneum, continues to frustrate efforts to deliver most therapeutic molecules in pharmacologically relevant quantities. The convergence of nanotechnology and microneedle (MN) platforms has emerged as a practically viable approach to address this limitation, yielding new opportunities to engineer around the skin barrier without sacrificing clinical acceptability. Ibuprofen (IBU), a Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) Class II nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), presents well-recognized formulation challenges. Its poor aqueous solubility and the gastrointestinal complications commonly associated with oral use make it a compelling candidate for alternative delivery strategies. Encapsulating IBU within poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles has demonstrated tangible benefits in terms of drug stabilization and prolonged, predictable release. Embedding these drug-loaded nanoparticles into dissolving microneedle arrays extends the concept further by mechanically bypassing the stratum corneum and substantially improving transdermal drug flux. This review critically examines IBU-PLGA microneedle systems across multiple dimensions—nanoparticle preparation methods, physicochemical characterization, microneedle fabrication strategies, and in vitro permeation testing conducted with Franz diffusion cells. Relevant advances reported in 2024 are highlighted, including improvements in skin permeation, drug release duration, and anti-inflammatory efficacy. Areas where significant scientific and technical gaps persist are discussed honestly, and practical pathways toward clinical translation are considered.},
        keywords = {Ibuprofen; PLGA nanoparticles; dissolving microneedles; transdermal drug delivery;Franz diffusion cell; controlled release; skin permeation},
        month = {May},
        }