Nanoemulsion Vehicles as Carriers for Follicular Delivery of Luteolin

The study explored the effectiveness of a nanoemulsion vehicle system for delivering luteolin, a flavonoid with potential hair growth benefits, using an oil-in-water (O/W) nanoemulsion with an average size of approximately 290 nm. The nanoemulsion showed stability against coalescence and aggregation, maintaining its size after freeze-thaw cycles and long-term storage. In vivo tests on male C57BL/6 mice, divided into four groups and treated with different solutions, demonstrated that luteolin-loaded nanoemulsions promoted hair growth comparably to both minoxidil and luteolin solution in ethanol, without the side effects associated with minoxidil. The nanoemulsion also produced thicker hair and improved hair quality, with shiny and soft hair coverage. The study concluded that the nanoemulsion-based delivery system could enhance the bioavailability of luteolin for hair growth promotion and is a promising vehicle for this purpose. The research was supported by National Research Foundation of Korea grants, but the number of subjects in the in vivo study was not specified.