NIR-responsive transdermal delivery of atenolol based on polyacrylamide-modified MoS2 nanoparticles

Transdermal drug delivery system (TDDS) is a successful non-invasive drug delivery system that shows several advantages. However, dose depletion effects remain a major challenge for sustained release TDDS. This study aimed to develop a polyacrylamide-modified MoS2 nanoparticles (CPAM-MoS2 NPs) based TDDS, which could control drug release and prolong the treatment time by light stimulation. In this work, the CPAM-MoS2 were produced by a facile hydrothermal method. The structure of CPAM-MoS2 NPs was detected by using FTIR, XRD and TEM, and the surface morphololgy of the NPs was observed by SEM. The colloid stability was tested by zeta potential and sedimentation volume ratio. Moreover, In vivo skin erythema study was conducted to explore the biocompatibility of CPAM-MoS2 NPs. As a result, the synthesisezed colloid-stable and skin-safe CPAM-MoS2 NPs possessed a high drug load efficiency of 87.2% and excellent photothermal conversion efficiency that was successfully applied in a TDDS with an enhancement ratio of 1.82. We measured its controlled release ability in an in vitro skin penetration test and, moreover, no drug depletion was observed during the 8-hour study in the light stimulation group. This paper describes the first use of CPAM-MoS2 NPs as a carrier for drugs in a TDDS.