title: Histological assessment of follicular delivery of flutamide by solid lipid nanoparticles: potential tool for the treatment of androgenic alopecia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Flutamide is a potent anti-androgen with the several unwanted side effects in systemic administration, therefore, it has attracted special interest in the development of topically applied formulations for the treatment of androgenic alopecia.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to prepare and characterize the solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) of Flutamide for follicular targeting in the treatment of the androgenic alopecia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Flutamide-loaded SLNs, promising drug carriers for topical application were prepared by hot melt homogenization method. Drug permeation and accumulation in the exercised rat skin and histological study on the male hamsters were performed to assess drug delivery efficiency in vitro and in vivo, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The optimized Flutamide-loaded SLNs (size 198 nm, encapsulation efficiency percentage 65% and loading efficiency percentage 3.27%) exhibited a good stability during the period of at least 2 months. The results of X-ray diffraction showed Flutamide amorphous state confirming uniform drug dispersion in the SLNs structure. Higher skin drug deposition (1.75 times) of SLN formulation compared to Flutamide hydroalcoholic solution represented better localization of the drug in the skin. The in vivo studies showed more new hair follicle growth by utilizing Flutamide-loaded SLNs than Flutamide hydroalcoholic solution which could be due to the higher accumulation of SLNs in the hair follicles as well as slowly and continues release of the Flutamide through the SLNs maximizing hair follicle exposure by antiandrogenic drug.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was concluded Flutamide-loaded SLN formulation can be used as a promising colloidal drug carriers for topical administration of Flutamide in the treatment of androgenic alopecia.
authors.affiliation: a Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran .
authors.forename: Hamed
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hamishehkar
authors.affiliation: a Drug Applied Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran .|b Department of Pharmaceutics , Faculty of Pharmacy, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences , Zanjan , Iran .
authors.forename: Saeed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghanbarzadeh
authors.affiliation: c Biotechnology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran .
authors.forename: Sasan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sepehran
authors.affiliation: d Dermatology & Dermopharmacy Research Team and Faculty of Pharmacy, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran .
authors.forename: Yousef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Javadzadeh
authors.affiliation: e Students' Research Committee, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran , and.
authors.forename: Zahra Mardhiah
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Adib
authors.affiliation: f Research Center for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology and Faculty of Dentistry, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kouhsoltani
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000505:Alopecia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods; D004337:Drug Carriers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D005079:Excipients / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D005485:Flutamide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry*; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000187:drug effects*; D008055:Lipids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry*; D010316:Particle Size; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012867:Skin / Q000378:metabolism; D012869:Skin Absorption
chemical_list: D000726:Androgen Antagonists; D004337:Drug Carriers; D005079:Excipients; D008055:Lipids; D005485:Flutamide
keywords: Androgenic alopecia; Flutamide; solid lipid nanoparticle; transdermal drug delivery