Dissolvable microneedles based on active components of Chinese Herbal Medicine for enhanced treatment of skin diseases

According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, around 900 million people globally are affected by various skin diseases, which cause significant physical and psychological distress and place a heavy economic burden on healthcare systems. The primary challenges in treating skin diseases include the limited transdermal drug absorption due to the skin barrier, the side effects associated with medications, and the recurring nature of these conditions that lead to prolonged patient suffering. Microneedles (MNs) have emerged as a promising transdermal drug delivery technology, able to painlessly penetrate the stratum corneum and deliver medications directly to the affected area. Various types of MNs technology have been developed, including dissolvable MNs (DMNs), solid MNs, coated MNs, hollow MNs, and hydrogel-based MNs. DMNs, especially, offer non-invasive drug delivery with sustained release through their dissolvable nature. Combining active ingredients from Chinese Herbal Medicine (CHM), known for their natural anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties with minimal side effects, with DMNs provides an effective approach for treating skin diseases. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the application of CHM-based DMNs in treating psoriasis, acne, hypertrophic scars, keloids, melanoma, atopic dermatitis, and other skin conditions. Additionally, it will introduce the manufacturing methods for CHM-based DMNs, explore strategies for integrating CHM with MNs, and summarize the broad translational potential and challenges of this technology in the field of dermatology.