Drug Delivery with Topically Applied Nanoparticles: Science Fiction or Reality?

January 2013 in “ Skin pharmacology and physiology ”

Jürgen Lademann, Heike Richter, Martina C. Meinke, Bernhard Lange‐Asschenfeldt, Constantinos Antoniou, Wing Cheung Mak, Reinhard Renneberg, Wolfram Sterry, Alexa Patzelt

nanoparticles liposomes solid nanoparticles hair follicles drug delivery skin barrier

Studysummary This article reviews the potential of nanoparticles for drug delivery through the skin barrier and highlights the need for further research on solid nanoparticles, as they lack commercial development for this purpose.

Our plain-language summary. Not medical advice or a treatment recommendation. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing treatment. Full disclaimer

The document discussed the potential of nanoparticles as efficient carriers for drug delivery through the skin barrier, particularly highlighting their ability to penetrate deeply into hair follicles and be stored for several days. While flexible nanoparticles like liposomes had demonstrated efficacy, solid nanoparticles' penetration properties were still under investigation. There was no evidence that solid particles ≥40 nm could pass through healthy skin, and thus, no commercially available solid nanoparticle-based products for drug delivery through healthy skin existed at the time. Despite this, the prospects for clinical use were promising, with nanoparticles potentially designed to deliver drugs efficiently into hair follicles and release them upon specific triggers.

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