Formulation, Evaluation, and Stability Studies of Dutasteride-Loaded Niosomal Gel

The study focused on formulating and evaluating a dutasteride-loaded niosomal gel for treating androgenetic alopecia. Dutasteride, a BCS class II drug, was incorporated into niosomes using the ether injection method, with the optimized formulation (F3) containing dutasteride, span 40, and cholesterol in a 1:4:2 ratio. This formulation was then incorporated into a gel (FG2) with 0.3% optimized niosomes and 0.75% Carbopol 934. The gel demonstrated a pH of 4.7, viscosity of 66213 cps, and a drug release of 91.45% over 24 hours, following the Higuchi model with an R2 value of 0.9975. Stability studies confirmed the gel's stability for 90 days, suggesting its potential to enhance drug bioavailability for topical applications.