Development and Fabrication of Emodin-Loaded Patches Using Geraniol as a Penetration Enhancer for Transdermal...

Diabetes management necessitates innovative approaches to enhance treatment efficacy and patient adherence. The study aimed to develop a transdermal patch loaded with emodin, hypothesized to provide a noninvasive treatment option that circumvents complications of oral administration. To optimize the formulation, a full factorial experimental design was employed, focusing on the concentrations of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose K15 and geraniol. Compatibility and mechanical characteristics were investigated using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The patch's drug release profile was assessed via in vitro studies, while its stability was tested under accelerated conditions. The antidiabetic efficacy was evaluated in diabetic rats using an in vivo model. The optimized patch (batch SF7) released 94.57% of the drug over 12 h. Under accelerated stability conditions, the patch showed a minor decline in folding endurance from 396 ± 1.50 to 369 ± 2.63 folds and drug content uniformity from 98.70% ± 0.02% to 98.14% ± 0.23%. The in vivo antidiabetic study demonstrated a considerable decrease in blood glucose levels in SF7-treated rats from 245.83 ± 3.25 mg/dL to 120.86 ± 4.24 mg/dL over 12 h (p-value < 0.001), comparable with the standard drug glibenclamide. The emodin-loaded transdermal patch displayed consistent drug release, maintained stability, and demonstrated significant antidiabetic activity, suggesting that it is a promising noninvasive therapy for diabetes management.