Szczecin scientists to create safer ‘all-in-one’ patch painkillers
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Scientists are looking to create ‘all-in-one painkillers’ that are introduced into the bloodstream through a patch.
The team from the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin believe the new Aminoprofen project (a combination of the words amino acid and ibuprofen) will be safer by obtaining new modifications of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with increased skin permeability.
Project leader and author of the research concept, Dr. Paula Ossowicz-Rupniewska, said: “We will modify the structure of the drug, and more specifically its active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), not to change its pharmacological properties, i.e. the analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties, but to better penetrate the skin, and thus be delivered to the body in the safest way.”
By delivering a smaller amount of the drug to the patient's body, the drug should still be more effective than the tablet form and administrating the drug through the skin is much safer for the patient than in the case of oral administration.
Administration in the form of tablets can irritate the stomach wall and in patients taking drugs for a long time may cause side effects in the gastrointestinal tract, for example stomach ulcers.
In addition, some of the drug administered in tablet form is neutralized by the liver.
After modifying the structure of ibuprofen, the researchers want to create two groups of products: semi-solids (ointments, creams and gels), as well as medical patches.
The scientists also want the new product to have a low thickness, adhere well to the skin, and at the same time can be comfortably removed after use.
The patch is supposed to have a system-wide effect, which means that the drug it will contain will penetrate the skin and enter the body regardless of where it is applied onto the body.
According to the team, the goal is to create an 'all-in-one' drug that will not only help in quick pain relief or neutralize inflammation, but also provide the body with the necessary amino acids.
The Aminoprofen project is financed by the National Centre for Research and Development. (PAP)
author: Elżbieta Bielecka
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