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Open AccessArticle
Rapidly Dissolving Microneedles Incorporating Lidocaine Hydrochloride: A PVP/PVA-Based Approach for Local Anesthesia
by
Su Young Jin
Su Young Jin
Eugene Jae-Jin Park
Eugene Jae-Jin Park 
,
Sae Min Kwon
Sae Min Kwon
Hyoung-Seok Jung
Hyoung-Seok Jung
Dong Wuk Kim
Dong Wuk Kim
1
BK21 FOUR Community-Based Intelligent Novel Drug Discovery Education Unit, Vessel-Organ Interaction Research Center (VOICE, MRC), College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
2
Spine Center, Bogang Hospital, Daegu 42801, Republic of Korea
3
Department of Neurosurgery, Dongsan Medical Center, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu 42601, Republic of Korea
4
Hand and Upper Extremity Surgery, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Chung-Ang University Gwangmyeong Hospital, Gwangmyeong 14353, Republic of Korea
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(9), 1100; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17091100 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 1 August 2025
/
Revised: 19 August 2025
/
Accepted: 20 August 2025
/
Published: 23 August 2025
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Lidocaine is a widely used local anesthetic, but injections and topical creams are often painful or slow in onset. This study aimed to develop dissolving microneedles incorporating lidocaine hydrochloride for rapid and convenient local anesthesia. Methods: Six formulations were prepared with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and evaluated for mechanical strength, skin insertion, drug release, and transdermal permeability. Results: Sharp pyramidal microneedles were successfully fabricated, with PVP–PVA mixtures producing stronger needles than single polymers. The optimized F5 formulation showed high strength (>32 N), efficient skin insertion (four parafilm layers), and rapid release (>80% within 15 min). In ex vivo studies, F5 delivered >600 µg/mL lidocaine in 15 min, over three times the therapeutic level and much faster than Emla cream (5%). Conclusions: PVP–PVA microneedles represent a promising platform for painless, rapid local anesthesia, combining the benefits of injections and topical creams while minimizing their drawbacks.
Share and Cite
MDPI and ACS Style
Jin, S.Y.; Park, E.J.-J.; Kwon, S.M.; Jung, H.-S.; Kim, D.W.
Rapidly Dissolving Microneedles Incorporating Lidocaine Hydrochloride: A PVP/PVA-Based Approach for Local Anesthesia. Pharmaceutics 2025, 17, 1100.
https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17091100
AMA Style
Jin SY, Park EJ-J, Kwon SM, Jung H-S, Kim DW.
Rapidly Dissolving Microneedles Incorporating Lidocaine Hydrochloride: A PVP/PVA-Based Approach for Local Anesthesia. Pharmaceutics. 2025; 17(9):1100.
https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17091100
Chicago/Turabian Style
Jin, Su Young, Eugene Jae-Jin Park, Sae Min Kwon, Hyoung-Seok Jung, and Dong Wuk Kim.
2025. "Rapidly Dissolving Microneedles Incorporating Lidocaine Hydrochloride: A PVP/PVA-Based Approach for Local Anesthesia" Pharmaceutics 17, no. 9: 1100.
https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17091100
APA Style
Jin, S. Y., Park, E. J.-J., Kwon, S. M., Jung, H.-S., & Kim, D. W.
(2025). Rapidly Dissolving Microneedles Incorporating Lidocaine Hydrochloride: A PVP/PVA-Based Approach for Local Anesthesia. Pharmaceutics, 17(9), 1100.
https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17091100
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