Nanostructured Lipid Carriers Loaded with 17-α-Estradiol Accumulate into Hair Follicles

In a study from 2020, researchers developed a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) formulation to enhance the delivery of 17-α-estradiol for alopecia treatment. The NLCs, with an average diameter of 96 ± 15 nm and a zeta potential of -17 ± 6 mV, demonstrated a high encapsulation efficiency of 17-α-estradiol at 99.6 ± 0.3%, as measured by ultra-performance liquid chromatography. The formulation remained physically stable over 42 days, with no significant changes in diameter, zeta potential, pH, or encapsulation efficiency. Dermal penetration studies using Franz diffusion cells and confocal microscopy revealed that the NLCs accumulated in the outer layers of the epidermis, specifically within the hair follicles, indicating that the NLC formulation could potentially improve the targeting of 17-α-estradiol to hair follicles for alopecia treatment.