Gum Arabic Enhances Hair Follicle-Targeting Drug Delivery of Minoxidil Nanocrystal Dispersions

This study demonstrates that a novel minoxidil (MXD) nanocrystal dispersion, MG-MXD@NP, which includes methylcellulose and gum arabic, significantly enhances hair growth by improving MXD delivery to hair follicles in C57BL/6 mice. The MG-MXD@NP formulation, with a particle size of 110 nm, showed superior hair growth compared to a commercial MXD lotion, correlating with increased MXD content in hair bulge and bulb regions. The treatment also elevated expression levels of CD34 and CD200, markers of hair follicle epithelial stem cells, suggesting activation of cells crucial for hair growth. These results indicate that MG-MXD@NP could be a promising treatment for hair loss.