Biomimetic Herb Patches with Adhesive Microarray Structures for Oral Ulcer Treatment

Oral ulceration is a common oral mucosal disease that severely affects patients’ quality of life. This mainly results from its persistent destruction of the epithelium and subsequent infection. Here, inspired by geckos, we proposed an edible adhesive Chinese medicine patch for the treatment of oral ulcers. Okra gel has excellent wet adhesion properties, and it is carefully designed as a biomimetic microarray structure to ensure strong adhesion in the mouth, where saliva is constantly secreted. In addition, baicalin and menthol are loaded into okra gel, giving the herbal patch analgesic, anti‐inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. Through in vitro experiments, we demonstrated the patch's adhesive capabilities, biocompatibility, anti‐inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. In vivo experiments of rats further demonstrated that Chinese herbal patches can promote collagen deposition and downregulate the concentration of inflammatory factors in bacterially infected oral ulcer wounds, thereby accelerating ulcer healing. These results indicate that the herbal patch with biomimetic microarray structures holds significant potential for the clinical treatment of oral ulcers.