Physicochemical Characterization of Finasteride Nanosystem for Enhanced Topical Delivery

February 2021 in “ International Journal of Nanomedicine ”

Malik Muhammad Irfan, Shefaat Ullah Shah, Ikram Ullah Khan, Muhammad Munir, Nauman Rahim Khan, Kifayat Ullah Shah, Saif Ur Rehman, Muhammad Sohaib, Hafiz Muhammad Basit, Saima Mahmood

finasteride nanosystem chitosan androgenic alopecia topical delivery drug retention sustained release thermodynamic stability in vitro studies ex vivo studies drug permeation Propecia

TLDR Chitosan-decorated finasteride nanosystems improve skin retention and could be a better treatment for hair loss.

The study developed and characterized finasteride nanosystems (FNS-NSs) decorated with chitosan to enhance topical delivery for treating androgenic alopecia. The chitosan decoration improved drug retention in the skin and provided sustained release, with the F5 formulation (1% chitosan) showing the best retention. Stability tests confirmed the formulations were thermodynamically stable, and in vitro and ex vivo studies demonstrated effective drug permeation and retention. The findings suggested that chitosan-decorated FNS-NSs could be a promising alternative for treating hair loss, potentially reducing the side effects associated with oral finasteride.

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