Transdermal delivery of <i>Astragalus tomentosus</i> hyaluoleosomes assisted by hollow microneedles for managing rheumatoid arthritis: <i>in-vitro</i> evaluation and biological studies

Abstract

AIM: To develop and evaluate Astragalus tomentosus (AST)-loaded hyaluoleosomes delivered via hollow microneedles as a novel approach for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management. METHODS: drug release. The optimized formulation was intradermally administered using hollow microneedles in antigen-induced arthritis rats. Therapeutic efficacy was assessed by measuring inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-1, MMP-9), antioxidant markers (HO-1, NRF2, SOD), and histopathological changes. RESULTS: , it significantly reduced joint swelling, suppressed inflammatory mediators, restored antioxidant markers, and improved histopathological features with reduced synovial inflammation and cartilage damage. CONCLUSION: AST-loaded hyaluoleosomes delivered via microneedles offer a minimally invasive and effective RA treatment, demonstrating synergistic therapeutic effects.