• Yan Gao, Lina Du, Qian Li, Qi Li, Lin Zhu, Meiyan Yang, Xiu Wang, Bonian Zhao, and Shan Ma.
• Institute of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China.
• Medicine (Baltimore). 2022 Jul 1; 101 (26): e29314e29314.

BackgroundTransdermal delivery is very important in pharmaceutics. However, the barrier function of the stratum corneum hinders drugs absorption. How to improve transdermal delivery efficiency is a hot topic. The key advantages of physical technologies are their wide application for the delivery of previously nonappropriate transdermal drugs, such as proteins, peptides, and hydrophilic drugs. Based on the improved permeation of drugs delivered via multiple physical techniques, many more diseases may be treated, and transdermal vaccinations become possible. However, their wider application depends on the related convenient and portable devices. Combined products comprising medicine and devices represent future commercial directions of artificial intelligence and 3D printing.MethodsA comprehensive search about transdermal delivery assisted by physical techniques has been carried out on Web of Science, EMBASE database, PubMed, Wanfang Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Cochrane Library. The search identified and retrieved the study describing multiple physical technologies to promote transdermal penetration.ResultsPhysical technologies, including microneedles, lasers, iontophoresis, sonophoresis, electroporation, magnetophoresis, and microwaves, are summarized and compared. The characteristics, mechanism, advantages and disadvantages of physical techniques are clarified. The individual or combined applicable examples of physical techniques to improve transdermal delivery are summarized.ConclusionThis review will provide more useful guidance for efficient transdermal delivery. More therapeutic agents by transdermal routes become possible with the assistance of various physical techniques.Copyright © 2022 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

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