Recent Advancement in Drug Delivery Systems for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that features chronic inflammation of the joints, destruction of the synovial tissue, and progressive disability. Traditional treatments with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and glucocorticoids are usually linked to systemic side effects and low therapeutic efficacy. Drug delivery systems based on nanotechnology have been presented as a valuable strategy for the improvement of drug bioavailability, toxicity decrease, and targeted treatment of RA. This review discusses the latest developments in nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems, such as liposomes, niosomes, nanoemulsions, solid lipid nanoparticles, ethosomes, and transferosomes, focusing specifically on transdermal drug delivery systems (TDDS). These nanocarriers provide long-term release of the drug, enhanced permeability, and enhanced therapeutic activity by more targeted delivery to inflamed areas. In addition, the combination of combination therapy, co-delivery approaches, and phototherapy has also exhibited synergistic effects to evade drug resistance and improve anti-inflammatory activity. Despite these developments, formulation stability, industrial manufacturing, and clinical translation remain critical challenges. Additional studies and clinical evidence are required to maximize nanotechnology-based therapies and integrate them into RA therapy.