Percutaneous Drug Delivery to the Hair Follicle
July 2005
in “
Informa Healthcare eBooks
”
percutaneous drug delivery hair follicles sebaceous glands stratum corneum barrier particulate systems liposomes synthetic microspheres follicular drug delivery formulation regional blood flow ethanol drug deposition anatomy function acne male pattern baldness alopecia areata therapeutic agents skin barrier drug delivery systems hair loss baldness hair loss treatment skin conditions
TLDR Hair follicles could be used for targeted drug delivery, with liposomal systems showing promise for this method.
The document from 2005 explores the potential of hair follicles and sebaceous glands as routes for percutaneous drug delivery, emphasizing their role in bypassing the stratum corneum barrier. It reviews studies that demonstrate the ability of particulate systems like liposomes and synthetic microspheres to localize in follicular areas, and discusses the use of various animal models and methodologies to study follicular drug delivery, noting the limitations of hairless animal models. The document also examines the effects of formulation and regional blood flow on drug deposition in hair follicles, with findings suggesting that vehicles like ethanol can enhance follicular drug delivery. It concludes that understanding the anatomy and function of hair follicles is critical for targeted drug delivery, which could benefit conditions such as acne, male pattern baldness, and alopecia areata, and that liposomal systems in particular show promise for delivering therapeutic agents directly to hair follicles and sebaceous glands.
