We previously demonstrated that baicalin had efficacy against gouty arthritis (GA) by oral administration. In this paper, a novel baicalin-loaded microemulsion-based gel (B-MEG) was prepared and assessed for the transdermal delivery of baicalin against GA. The preparation method and transdermal capability of B-MEG was screened and optimized using the central composite design, Franz diffusion cell experiments, and the split-split plot design. Skin irritation tests were performed in guinea pigs. The anti-gout effects were evaluated using mice. The optimized B-MEG comprised of 50 % pH 7.4 phosphate buffered saline, 4.48 % ethyl oleate, 31.64 % tween 80, 13.88 % glycerin, 2 % borneol, 0.5 % clove oil and 0.5 % xanthan gum, with a baicalin content of (10.42 ± 0.08) mg/g and particle size of (15.71 ± 0.41) nm. After 12 h, the cumulative amount of baicalin permeated from B-MEG was (672.14 ± 44.11) μg·cm−2. No significant skin irritation was observed following B-MEG application. Compared to the model group, B-MEG groups significantly decreased the rate of auricular swelling (P
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