Histological evaluation of follicular delivery of arginine via nanostructured lipid carriers: a novel potential approach for the treatment of alopecia

The study from 2016 explored the effectiveness of nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) for delivering arginine, an amino acid beneficial for hair growth, into hair follicles. The researchers used oleic acid as an ion pairing agent to improve arginine encapsulation into the NLCs. They conducted histological evaluations on hamster skin and found that arginine-loaded NLCs resulted in more new hair follicle growth compared to an aqueous solution of arginine. The study concluded that NLCs, particularly those using oleic acid, could be a promising method for topical drug delivery in the treatment of alopecia, potentially enhancing treatment efficacy and reducing side effects. The encapsulation efficiency was 68±3.4%, and the drug loading capacity was 10±1.2%. The study did not specify the number of hamsters used.