Metal-organic frameworks for topical and transdermal therapeutics

Topical and transdermal therapeutics are critical for managing dermatological and mucosal disorders. Conventional formulations, including creams, ointments and gels, face limitations such as inefficient drug penetration, uncontrolled release kinetics, and inability to respond to dynamic pathological microenvironments. The emergence of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) offers promising solutions to this challenge. Due to their stimuli-responsive properties, drug loading capacity, and multifunctionality, MOFs allow for more effectively targeted and comprehensive therapy. Furthermore, integrating MOFs into biocompatible matrices including hydrogels, microneedles, nanofibers, and sprayable materials enhances mechanical adaptability and biosafety. In the ongoing future, MOFs have the potential to help realize intelligent, personalized, closed-looped wound care and dermatological therapies. This review provided an overview of the characteristics and advantages of MOF-based topical and transdermal formulations, summarized the application of MOFs in different types of topical and transdermal drugs, and discussed their application value. Furthermore, we described the challenges of the MOF-based topical and transdermal formulations in long-term biocompatibility, scalable fabrication, and clinical translation. We hope that the viewpoints and insights of this review can propel further research for applications of MOFs in topical and transdermal therapeutics.