Preparation and Transdermal Mechanism of Juanbi Decoction‐Medicated Moxa Sticks for Joint Diseases

ABSTRACT Medicated moxa sticks were prepared by mixing the herbs in Juanbi decoction with moxa wool. The components of smoke produced by combustion of these medicated moxa sticks and pure moxa sticks were analysed by gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. The smoke of the medicated moxa sticks contained 34 more active ingredients than that of the pure moxa sticks. Six of the active ingredients screened using network pharmacology and molecular docking can regulate joint diseases via the tumour necrosis factor pathway and have good binding affinities with core targets. The preparation process of the medicated moxa sticks was optimised using Box–Behnken design of response surface methodology. The smoke of the optimised product contained a high concentration of active ingredients and a low tar concentration. Molecular dynamics simulations and rat experiments demonstrated that the smoke derived from medicated moxa sticks possessed good skin permeability and detumescence activity. The developed medicated moxa sticks are environmentally friendly and show good prospects for the treatment of joint disease.