Enhanced Skin Permeation and Controlled Release of β-Sitosterol Using Cubosomes Encrusted with Dissolving Microneedles for the Management of Alopecia

Abstract

The use of synthetic medication for treating alopecia is restricted because of systemic exposure and related negative effects. Beta-sitosterol (β-ST), a natural chemical, has lately been studied for its potential to promote hair development. The cubosomes with dissolving microneedles (CUBs-MND) created in this study may be a useful starting point for the creation of a sophisticated dermal delivery system for β-ST. Cubosomes (CUBs) were prepared by the emulsification method, using glyceryl monooleate (GMO) as a lipid polymer. CUBs were loaded with dissolving microneedles (MND) fabricated with HA and a PVP-K90 matrix. An ex vivo skin permeation study and an in vivo hair growth efficacy test of β-ST were performed with both CUB and CUB-MND. The average particle size of the CUBs was determined to be 173.67 ± 0.52 nm, with a low polydispersity index (0.3) and a high zeta potential value that prevents the aggregate formation of dispersed particles. When compared to CUBs alone, CUBs-MND displayed higher permeating levels of β-ST at all-time points. In the animals from the CUB-MND group, significant hair development was observed. According to the results of the current investigation, CUBs that integrate dissolving microneedles of β-ST are superior in terms of transdermal skin penetration and activity for the treatment of alopecia.

From Plants to Wound Dressing and Transdermal Delivery of Bioactive Compounds

“…Triterpenes have many active sites for glycosylation, which converts them into another class of compounds, namely, saponins (triterpene glycoside). Examples of triterpenoids of medical interest are squalene used in scaffold emulgel for wound healing, ursolic acid used in niosomal gel systems for arthritis treatment and skin diseases, oleanolic acid used in nanocarriers in TD, and sitosterol used in alopecia treatment with microneedle enhancers, or in breast cancer as nanoparticles [249][250][251][252][253][254][255]. -Tetraterpenoids consist of eight isoprene units and 25 carbon atoms.…”