Utilization of nanotechnology and experimental design in development and optimization of Aloe vera gel loaded with Finasteride‒Garlic Oil‒Nanotransfersomes

Abstract

At present, around half of the world's population suffers from hair loss (alopecia). Oral drugs for its treatment may cause adverse reactions. Therefore, in the present study, a topical nanotransferosome formulation (NTF) of finasteride (FI) was developed and optimized for the improved, safe dermal permeation of hair follicles. Notably, garlic oil (GO) was used as the oil component and Aloe vera as a gelling agent to increase the therapeutic worth of the formulation. Both of these components have antimicrobial action against Propionibacterium acnes, the main causative agent of infection of the scalp in alopecia areata. The optimized FI-GO-NTF was loaded in an Aloe vera‒based gel and evaluated for skin permeation and antibacterial potential. The results indicated a significant enhancement in the cumulative percentage of FI permeation of the scalp of the FI-GO-NTF loaded in the Aloe vera gel (54%) in contrast to 18% for an FI dispersion in a gel base and 21% for a formulation prepared without GO. Assessment of the MIC values for the different formulations indicated potent and efficacious antibacterial activity of GO and Aloe vera; the minimum MIC value was 0.051 μg/ml for the optimized FI-GO-NTF loaded in an Aloe vera gel, in contrast to 0.401 μg/ml for the formula prepared by using a pure FI powder instead of FI-GO-NTF nanotransferosomes. The developed FI-GO-NTF‒loaded Aloe vera gel has significant potential for targeted, safe, efficacious therapy and can control bacterial attacks on the scalp in alopecia areata.