Dermal and Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Drug Delivery and Controlled Release".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 4097

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Oncologic Dermatology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania
2. Elias Emergency University Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
Interests: bioactive materials; nanotechnology; targeted therapy; biologic therapy; chronic wounds; wound healing; chronic skin infections; microbial biofilms; skin cancer; melanoma
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Oncologic Dermatology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania
2. Elias Emergency University Hospital, Bucharest, Romania
Interests: biological therapy; molecularly-targeted therapy; inflammatory skin disease; psoriasis; atopic dermatitis; oncologic dermatology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Over time, research has focused on developing new strategies to improve the bioavailability of topical therapies and increase their efficiency while minimizing adverse events. As a result, there has been a growing interest in transdermal and dermal drug delivery systems. These versatile systems allow active pharmaceutical components to penetrate the stratum corneum and to be involved in local or systemic actions. The use of dermal and transdermal drug delivery systems is accompanied by several advantages such as being noninvasive, less painful, controlling the drug release rate over a prolonged period, not involving the passage through the gastrointestinal tract, and therefore avoidance of first-pass metabolism, without pH, enzymes and intestinal bacteria interferences. Significantly progress has been made in the delivery of various agents in a wide spectrum of symptoms and pathologies, including pain management, hormonal therapies, and cardiovascular and central nervous system diseases.

As an editorial team with clinical and research experience in novel therapies (drug delivery systems, nanotechnology, bioactive materials, transdermal drug delivery systems, biologic therapy, immunotherapy), we are pleased to invite you to contribute your recent work to this Special Issue, which aims to bring together the most innovative and interesting advances made in the dermal and transdermal drug delivery systems.

Original research articles and review papers focusing on this intriguing field are welcome to be considered for publication in this Special Issue. We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Mara Mădălina Mihai
Dr. Olguta Anca Orzan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • transdermal drug delivery
  • dermal drug delivery
  • nanotechnology
  • biopatch
  • nanocarriers
  • microneedles
  • skin penetration
  • electroporation
  • iontophoresis

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

34 pages, 2317 KiB  
Article
Formulation of Topical Drug Delivery Systems Containing a Fixed-Dose Isoniazid–Rifampicin Combination Using the Self-Emulsification Mechanism
by Melissa van Deventer, Richard K. Haynes, Marius Brits and Joe M. Viljoen
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(6), 680; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17060680 - 22 May 2025
Viewed by 620
Abstract
Background: Tuberculosis remains a significant global health issue, and the rise of drug-resistant strains is becoming increasingly concerning. Currently, treatment options are limited to systemic regimens; however, developing topical drug delivery systems could offer advantages for treating cutaneous tuberculosis (CTB) when applied [...] Read more.
Background: Tuberculosis remains a significant global health issue, and the rise of drug-resistant strains is becoming increasingly concerning. Currently, treatment options are limited to systemic regimens; however, developing topical drug delivery systems could offer advantages for treating cutaneous tuberculosis (CTB) when applied directly to the lesions. We developed topical emulsions using the self-emulsification mechanism that combine fixed doses of isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RIF) using a quality-by-design approach. Methods: Preformulation studies pertaining to drug solubility in various solvents, the construction of pseudoternary diagrams to identify self-emulsification regions for each tested excipient combination, and the preparation of checkpoint formulations were conducted and visually examined. Formulations displaying no physical instabilities were subsequently exposed to characterization experiments, including droplet size determination, zeta potential, size distribution, viscosity, pH, self-emulsification, cloud point, robustness to dilution, and thermodynamic stability assessment. Three selected formulations were consequently subjected to membrane release experiments, followed by skin diffusion studies, and INH and RIF stability in these emulsions was determined, because these drugs have a known interaction. Conclusions: While incorporating essential oils in a topical formulation improved RIF solubility, it also resulted in several instabilities. RIF exhibited greater susceptibility to degradation under higher temperatures and lower pH conditions. However, drug release from all formulations tested was confirmed. Notably, olive oil microemulsions demonstrated the most favorable characteristics for dermal drug delivery; nonetheless, drug diffusion into and through the skin (which was not desired) could not be quantified. Despite these challenges, the findings indicate that topical drug delivery systems using the self-emulsification process can facilitate the direct treatment of CTB. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dermal and Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

14 pages, 1864 KiB  
Review
Emerging Treatments and New Vehicle Formulations for Atopic Dermatitis
by Sibel Ali, Ana Ion, Olguța Anca Orzan and Beatrice Bălăceanu-Gurău
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(11), 1425; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16111425 - 7 Nov 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2629
Abstract
Atopic dermatitis is one of the most common inflammatory skin diseases, with an increasing incidence among both children and adults. The recurrent nature, often with the persistence of symptoms, and the polymorphism of the response to current therapies have led to increased research [...] Read more.
Atopic dermatitis is one of the most common inflammatory skin diseases, with an increasing incidence among both children and adults. The recurrent nature, often with the persistence of symptoms, and the polymorphism of the response to current therapies have led to increased research in the therapeutic area dedicated to this condition. The understanding of pathophysiological pathways has contributed to the development of innovative therapies, including biological therapies, JAK inhibitors, but also emerging technologies like nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems. These innovations promise enhanced efficacy, reduced side effects, and improved patient outcomes. The ongoing exploration of novel vehicles, formulations, and natural biopolymers, along with cutting-edge therapeutic agents like tapinarof and mesenchymal stem cells, highlights the potential for an even more precise and personalized management of AD in the future. Despite these advances, challenges persist, particularly in ensuring the long-term safety, accessibility, and broader application of these therapies, necessitating continued research and development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dermal and Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop