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Stream/Area:
-
Subject:
-
Paper ID:
IJSREM66672
Volume:
10 |
8 |
Aug 2026
Pages:
1-5
Publication Frequency:
Monthly (12 issues per year)
License:International Journal of Scientific Research in Engineering and Management follows the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) License, allowing free use and distribution with proper attribution.
Department of Pharmaceutics
Sri Vijay Vidyalaya College of Pharmacy, Nallampalli, Dharmapuri
Department of Pharmaceutics
Sri Vijay Vidyalaya College of Pharmacy, Nallampalli, Dharmapuri
Department of Pharmaceutics
Sri Vijay Vidyalaya College of Pharmacy, Nallampalli, Dharmapuri
Department of Pharmaceutics
Sri Vijay Vidyalaya College of Pharmacy, Nallampalli, Dharmapuri
Transdermal drug delivery through microneedles (MN) offers a minimally invasive, painless alternative to conventional dosage forms by transiently breaching the stratum corneum. The present work reports the formulation and evaluation of dissolving microneedle patches incorporating Azadirachta indica A. Juss (neem gum) for antimicrobial activity. Neem gum was extracted, purified by ethanol precipitation and characterised for organoleptic, solubility, pH, moisture content, swelling index, bulk/tapped density and angle of repose. Three microneedle formulations (F1, F2, F3) were fabricated by solvent-casting using varying ratios of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as matrix-forming polymers, glycerol as plasticiser and neem gum as the active antimicrobial agent, cast in silicone micromoulds. The patches were evaluated for physical appearance, morphology, thickness, weight variation, moisture content, swelling behaviour and antimicrobial activity by the well-cut diffusion method against Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella sp. and Escherichia coli, with gentamicin as standard. All formulations showed uniform, crack-free patches with sharp conical needles; F2 exhibited the most consistent zones of inhibition. The results indicate that neem gum-based dissolving microneedles are a promising, biodegradable, patient-compliant platform for localised antimicrobial transdermal delivery, warranting further optimisation and in-vivo evaluation.
KEYWORDS
Dissolving microneedle patches incorporating Azadirachta indica A. Juss (neem gum) were successfully formulated using PVP and PVA as matrix-forming polymers and evaluated for their physicochemical and antimicrobial properties. All three formulations showed acceptable physical characteristics, uniform thickness and weight, low moisture content and concentration-dependent antimicrobial activity against common skin pathogens, with formulation F2 showing the most balanced performance. The microneedle format offers painless, minimally invasive skin penetration that can deliver the antimicrobial constituents of neem gum directly to the site of action, improving patient compliance relative to conventional topical or injectable therapy. Neem gum-based microneedles therefore represent a promising, biodegradable and natural platform for antimicrobial transdermal drug delivery, warranting further optimisation of the polymer ratio, mechanical strength and drug-release profile, along with in-vivo evaluation, before clinical translation.
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Publication Date
8/11/2026
Peer Review Type
Double-Blind Peer Review
Review Rounds: 2
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The authors declare no conflict of interest related to this research work.
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