While the topical application of minoxidil is one of the most effective and popular ways to combat male pattern baldness, it is poorly absorbed by the skin. Looking to improve its efficacy, researchers have turned to an unlikely but very sweet ally.
Male pattern baldness (MPB), also known as androgenetic alopecia (AGA), is an inherited condition in which men gradually lose their hair according to a specific pattern that ultimately leaves them with only a little bit of hair on the sides and back of their heads. It is responsible for more than 95% of hair loss in men. Since 1988, minoxidil – a drug originally developed to fight high blood pressure – has been used by men to combat the condition to one degree or another. However, minoxidil is applied directly to the scalp and, paradoxically, is poorly absorbed by the skin.
Now researchers from Australia and China believe they have come up with a way to boost the drug's absorption and therefore its potency.
They developed a patch containing minoxidil and a set of microneedles made from stevioside, a natural sweetener derived from the Stevia plant. After tuning the concentrations of the sweetener contained in the needles, the patches were applied to mice that had been genetically altered to exhibit MPB. The researchers found that the mice given the Stevia patch had 18 times better absorption of minoxidil than a control group. The treated mice also had hair coverage of 67.5% in previously bald areas after just 35 days. That's significantly better than the current efficacy of the drug, which typically takes three to six months to produce new hair growth in humans.
Unlike other microneedle patches that had been tried in the past, the Stevia-based needles dissolved after application and were minimally metabolized, meaning that most of the sweetener was excreted. Their dissolvability led them to be less irritating than patches that had been previously tested using metal-based needles.
"The microneedle patch simplifies the treatment regimen by providing a more convenient, long-acting option that ensures controlled and prolonged drug release directly to the targeted area," write the researchers in their study, which has been published in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials.
"This method not only enhances drug penetration into skin but also eliminates other issues associated with traditional topical formulations, such as slow onset of action and/or inaccurate dosing. By combining the advantages of microneedling with the therapeutic benefits of minoxidil, and utilizing Stevia's unique properties, this approach holds significant potential for improving clinical outcomes in the treatment of AGA."
Source: Wiley via EurekAlert
