Dissolving microneedles (DMNs), as an emerging transdermal drug delivery technology, can transiently penetrate the stratum corneum through micron-scale needle arrays to achieve efficient drug delivery, featuring minimal invasiveness, painless administration, good biocompatibility, and high patient compliance. With advances in materials science and pharmaceutical engineering, increasing attention has been paid to the application of DMNs in transdermal delivery of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), providing a novel strategy to overcome the limitations of conventional topical TCM formulations, such as low permeation efficiency and unstable therapeutic effects. This review systematically summarizes the evolution of carriers for transdermal TCM delivery and the developmental basis of dissolving microneedles, with emphasis on the structural types, drug delivery mechanisms, and commonly used fabrication methods of DMNs. In addition, recent research progress on the application of DMNs in the treatment of skin diseases, inflammatory disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, alopecia, cosmetic therapy, and pain management is reviewed. Finally, the current technical challenges associated with DMNs are discussed, and their future prospects in TCM modernization and precision delivery are highlighted. This review aims to provide references for the design optimization and further research of microneedle-based transdermal delivery systems for TCM.

dissolving microneedles  /  transdermal delivery of traditional Chinese medicine  /  microneedle fabrication  /  drug delivery mechanisms  /  cosmetology