Physicochemical Characterization of Chitosan-Decorated Finasteride Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for Skin Drug Delivery

The study developed chitosan-decorated finasteride solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) to enhance skin retention and reduce systemic side effects of finasteride, used for androgenic alopecia and benign prostate hyperplasia. The SLNs, created using high-speed homogenization, showed favorable particle size (10.10 nm to 144.2 nm), polydispersity index (0.244 to 0.412), zeta potential (8.9 mV to 62.6 mV), and drug entrapment efficiency (48.3% to 62%). Chitosan decoration improved drug retention in the skin and provided sustained drug release over 24 hours. Stability studies confirmed the formulations were stable for three months at temperatures between 5°C and 40°C. The findings suggest that chitosan-decorated SLNs could be a viable alternative for topical finasteride delivery, potentially reducing systemic side effects associated with oral administration.