Research progress of plant essential oil and drug delivery system in the treatment of atopic dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by recurrent episodes and unbearable itching, imposing a heavy physical and psychological burden on patients. The pathogenesis of AD is complex, involving multiple factors such as environmental triggers, immune dysregulation, skin olfactory receptors, impaired epidermal barrier, and skin-gut microbiome imbalance. First-line clinical chemical drugs, such as glucocorticoids, can alleviate inflammation and itching to some extent, but relapse after discontinuation and drug resistance remain significant challenges, and effective treatments are still lacking. In recent years, research on essential oils extracted from natural plants for AD treatment has increased, demonstrating notable efficacy, high safety, and no drug resistance. This article explores the pathogenesis of AD, summarizes the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of plant essential oils in AD treatment, and discusses how drug delivery systems can improve the physical properties of essential oils, aiming to provide insights for developing novel AD therapies.