The Smart Drug Delivery of Rotigotine Using Transdermal Patch for the Successful Management of Parkinson’s Disease

Background: A Non-Ergot Dopamine Agonist (NEDA) rotigotine has been designed as a new transdermal drug delivery system. Aim: To maintain optimum homogeneity in drug content, the rotigotine transdermal patch was developed utilizing a solvent casting technique. Methods: The characteristics of a transdermal patch, including patch weight, folding endurance, patch thickness, surface morphology, tensile strength, swelling rate, surface pH, in vitro release studies, water retention rate, uniformity of drug content, and ex-vivo permeation studies, were determined. Results: In vitro drug release studies unequivocally demonstrated that drug release controlled polymer interactions. There was no apparent lag period before the drug release rate started to decline. The developed patch showed 70 ± 1.18 % of prolongation of drug release within 24 hours. The result of the penetration studies demonstrated that 61 ± 2.52% of rotigotine permeated through the epidermal barrier within 24 h. Conclusion: The developed transdermal patch comprising rotigotine was evidently placed on the dermis layer, and an appropriate dose was delivered into circulation for a longer time based on the aforementioned factors. The findings of this study illustrate the effective approach of transdermal patches to treat Parkinson's disease.