Phospholipid-Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticle-Mediated Transfollicular Delivery of Quercetin: Prospective Implementation for the Treatment of Androgenic Alopecia
August 2019
in “
Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy
”
TLDR Quercetin-loaded nanoparticles can penetrate skin, minimize hair loss, and promote hair regrowth, showing slightly better results than a marketed product.
In 2019, a study involving 134 male Sprague-Dawley rats, with 36 responders, investigated the use of phospholipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (NPs) loaded with Quercetin (Que) for the treatment of androgenic alopecia. The NPs had a mean vesicle size of 339±1.6, a zeta potential of -32.6±0.51, and an entrapment efficiency of 78±5.5. The cumulative drug release after 12 hours was 47.27 ± 0.79%. The NPs were found to penetrate the skin and distribute in different skin layers, minimizing hair loss and promoting hair regrowth, with slightly superior results to a marketed formulation. The histological evaluation showed extended anagen phase of hair follicles in the treatment group where DPPC-PLGA-NPs were applied. The study concluded that DPPC-PLGA hybrid NPs provide a better environment to adhere at hair follicles terminal so that quercetin can potentially reverse hair loss.
