Berberine-Loaded Composite Phospholipid Ethosome Hydrogels: A Therapeutic for Mastitis via Regulating the NF-κB and PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway

Mastitis is a common disease in dairy cows, mainly caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Berberine (BBR) has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory potential, but its application is limited due to poor oral absorption and difficulty in reaching mammary tissue. To address this, this study developed a BBR-loaded composite ethosome hydrogel (BBR-CEH) to achieve targeted mammary delivery through local transdermal administration. The experimental results showed that BBR-CEH has good chem