Malik Muhammad Irfan1,2, Shefaat Ullah Shah1,2, Ikram Ullah Khan3, Muhammad Usman Munir4, Nauman Rahim Khan1,2, Kifayat Ullah Shah1, Saif Ur Rehman5, Muhammad Sohaib1,2, Hafiz Muhammad Basit1,2, Saima Mahmood1,2. 1. Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gomal University, D.I. Khan, 29050, KPK, Pakistan. 2. Gomal Centre for Skin/Regenerative Medicine and Drug Delivery Research (GCSRDDR), Faculty of Pharmacy, Gomal University, D.I. Khan, 29050, KPK, Pakistan. 3. Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan. 4. Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University Sakaka, Aljouf, 72388, Saudi Arabia. 5. Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Poonch, Rawlakot, AJK, Pakistan.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The current work aimed to formulate a novel chitosan-based finasteride nanosystem (FNS-NS) for skin delivery to optimize the drug availability in skin for a longer time and enhance ex vivo performance of finasteride against androgenic alopecia. METHODS: Both undecorated and chitosan decorated FNS-NSs were synthesized by a high energy emulsification technique. All the prepared nanosystems were further subjected to physicochemical characterizations like pH, viscosity, encapsulation efficiency, surface morphology and in vitro drug release behavior. The influence of the nanosystem on the drug permeation and retention in rat skin was examined using Franz diffusion cell apparatus. RESULTS: The droplet size of developed nanosystems ranged from 41 to 864 nm with a low polydispersity index. The zeta potential of the nanosystems was between -10 mV and +56 mV. This chitosan decorated nanosystem exhibited controlled drug release, ie about 78-97% in 24 h. Among all the nanosystems, our chitosan decorated formulation (F5) had low drug permeation (16.35 µg/cm2) and higher drug retention (10.81 µg/cm2). CONCLUSION: The abovementioned results demonstrate satisfactory in vitro drug release, skin retention profiles and ex vivo performance with chitosan decorated FNS-NS (F5). This optimized formulation could increase drug availability in skin and could become a promising carrier for topical delivery to treat androgenic alopecia.
INTRODUCTION: The current work aimed to formulate a novel chitosan-based finasteride nanosystem (FNS-NS) for skin delivery to optimize the drug availability in skin for a longer time and enhance ex vivo performance of finasteride against androgenic alopecia. METHODS: Both undecorated and chitosan decorated FNS-NSs were synthesized by a high energy emulsification technique. All the prepared nanosystems were further subjected to physicochemical characterizations like pH, viscosity, encapsulation efficiency, surface morphology and in vitro drug release behavior. The influence of the nanosystem on the drug permeation and retention in rat skin was examined using Franz diffusion cell apparatus. RESULTS: The droplet size of developed nanosystems ranged from 41 to 864 nm with a low polydispersity index. The zeta potential of the nanosystems was between -10 mV and +56 mV. This chitosan decorated nanosystem exhibited controlled drug release, ie about 78-97% in 24 h. Among all the nanosystems, our chitosan decorated formulation (F5) had low drug permeation (16.35 µg/cm2) and higher drug retention (10.81 µg/cm2). CONCLUSION: The abovementioned results demonstrate satisfactory in vitro drug release, skin retention profiles and ex vivo performance with chitosan decorated FNS-NS (F5). This optimized formulation could increase drug availability in skin and could become a promising carrier for topical delivery to treat androgenic alopecia.
Authors: Stephania G B Lima; Ludmila A G Pinho; Maíra N Pereira; Tais Gratieri; Livia Lira Sa-Barreto; Guilherme M Gelfuso; Marcilio Cunha-Filho Journal: J Pharm Biomed Anal Date: 2018-08-29 Impact factor: 3.935