title: Erbium-yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser irradiation ameliorates skin permeation and follicular delivery of antialopecia drugs.
abstract: Alopecia usually cannot be cured because of the available drug therapy being unsatisfactory. To improve the efficiency of treatment, erbium-yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er-YAG) laser treatment was conducted to facilitate skin permeation of antialopecia drugs such as minoxidil (MXD), diphencyprone (DPCP), and peptide. In vitro and in vivo percutaneous absorption experiments were carried out by using nude mouse skin and porcine skin as permeation barriers. Fluorescence and confocal microscopies were used to visualize distribution of permeants within the skin. Laser ablation at a depth of 6 and 10 μm enhanced MXD skin accumulation twofold to ninefold depending on the skin barriers selected. DPCP absorption showed less enhancement by laser irradiation as compared with MXD. An ablation depth of 10 μm could increase the peptide flux from zero to 4.99 and 0.33 μg cm(-2) h(-1) for nude mouse skin and porcine skin, respectively. The laser treatment also promoted drug uptake in the hair follicles, with DPCP demonstrating the greatest enhancement (sixfold compared with the control). The imaging of skin examined by microscopies provided evidence of follicular and intercellular delivery assisted by the Er-YAG laser. Besides the ablative effect of removing the stratum corneum, the laser may interact with sebum to break up the barrier function, increasing the skin delivery of antialopecia drugs. The minimally invasive, well-controlled approach of laser-mediated drug permeation offers a potential way to treat alopecia. This study's findings provide the basis for the first report on laser-assisted delivery of antialopecia drugs.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Dermatology, Taipei Medical University Shuang Ho Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Woan-Ruoh
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shing-Chuan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ibrahim A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Aljuffali
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutics Laboratory, Graduate Institute of Natural Products, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion Research Center, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Kweishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Ching
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutics Laboratory, Graduate Institute of Natural Products, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Chinese Herbal Medicine Research Team, Healthy Aging Research Center, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Research Center for Industry of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Kweishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan. Electronic address: fajy@mail.cgu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Jia-You
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Fang
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000505:Alopecia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000818:Animals; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State; D008812:Mice, Hairless; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D010539:Permeability; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects*; D012869:Skin Absorption / Q000528:radiation effects*; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D003879:Dermatologic Agents
keywords: absorption; alopecia; diphencyprone; laser; macromolecular drug delivery; minoxidil; peptide; percutaneous; skin