DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF NOVEL PHARMACEUTICAL FORMULATIONS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN AND JOINT DISORDERS

Abstract

Chronic musculoskeletal pain and joint disorders are major contributors to disability and reduced quality of life worldwide. Although conventional pharmacological therapies remain the primary treatment approach, their long-term use is often limited by systemic adverse effects, poor target specificity, and inadequate therapeutic efficacy, necessitating the development of advanced pharmaceutical formulations. This review aimed to synthesize current evidence on the development and evaluation of novel pharmaceutical formulations for the management of chronic musculoskeletal conditions, with particular emphasis on innovative drug delivery systems, targeted therapeutic approaches, and emerging formulation strategies. A comprehensive review of peer-reviewed literature was conducted using databases including ScienceDirect, DOAJ, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Relevant studies focusing on pharmaceutical formulation development, drug delivery technologies, targeted delivery systems, nanotechnology-based formulations, and herbal therapeutics for musculoskeletal disorders were systematically identified, evaluated, and organized into major thematic categories. The review demonstrated that topical, transdermal, nanotechnology-based, herbal, and targeted drug delivery systems provide significant improvements in drug bioavailability, localized delivery, sustained release, and therapeutic efficacy while reducing systemic adverse effects. Emerging technologies such as cubosomes, magnetically targeted nanocomposites, chronotherapeutic formulations, and advanced gel systems further enhance treatment performance and patient adherence. Novel pharmaceutical formulations represent promising alternatives to conventional pharmacotherapy for chronic musculoskeletal conditions