Microneedle Mediated Delivery of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Dermatological Disorders: Current Advances, Challenges, and Therapeutic Potential

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Background Microneedle (MN)-mediated delivery has emerged as a promising strategy for improving the dermal and transdermal delivery of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)-derived bioactive compounds. Although TCM possesses diverse pharmacological activities relevant to dermatological disorders, the therapeutic performance of many herbal constituents is limited by poor skin penetration, low aqueous solubility, chemical instability, and inadequate retention following conventional topical administration. This review provides a structured narrative synthesis of recent advances in MN-mediated delivery of TCM for dermatological applications, with emphasis on formulation strategies, therapeutic outcomes, emerging technologies, safety, and translational challenges. Methods A structured narrative literature review was conducted to identify and critically synthesize available evidence concerning microneedle-mediated delivery of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and TCM-derived bioactive compounds for dermatological applications. Literature was identified through searches of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar for publications from January 2003 to March 2026. Relevant publications were screened for relevance to microneedle-mediated TCM delivery and critically evaluated according to study design, formulation characteristics, therapeutic outcomes, and translational relevance. Evidence was narratively synthesized according to microneedle type, fabrication materials, formulation and drug-loading strategies, therapeutic applications, safety considerations, and emerging technologies. Results The available evidence indicates that MN systems can overcome the stratum corneum barrier and enhance the local delivery, dermal deposition, and therapeutic performance of TCM-derived bioactive compounds. Dissolving, hydrogel-forming, coated, and nano-integrated MN systems have demonstrated promising results in preclinical models of inflammatory skin disorders, acne, pigmentation disorders, wound healing, and photoaging. Advanced approaches incorporating nanoparticles, nanocrystals, stimuli-responsive materials, and multifunctional systems may further improve controlled and targeted delivery. However, most evidence remains preclinical, and substantial challenges remain regarding formulation standardization, stability, reproducibility, manufacturing scale-up, safety evaluation, and regulatory translation. Discussion MN-mediated delivery represents a promising interface between TCM pharmacology and modern drug-delivery technology. Future research should prioritize standardized herbal preparations, mechanistically informed formulation design, reproducible manufacturing, comprehensive safety evaluation, and well-designed clinical studies to establish the therapeutic and translational value of MN–TCM systems in dermatological practice.