Formulation and Evaluation of Finasteride Loaded Nanoparticles Based Topical Gel for the Management of drogenetic Alopecia

The present study aimed to develop and evaluate Finasteride-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) for topical delivery in the management of androgenetic alopecia. Finasteride, a 5α-reductase inhibitor, is widely used for treatment but is associated with systemic side effects when administered orally. To overcome this limitation, NLCs were prepared using Compritol 888 ATO and oleic acid by hot emulsification followed by ultrasonication technique. The optimized formulation exhibited a mean particle size of 248.2 nm and entrapment efficiency of 84.37%. The in vitro drug release study demonstrated a biphasic release pattern with sustained drug release up to 6 h. The optimized NLCs were further incorporated into Carbopol 940 gel for topical application. The gel showed satisfactory pH (6.8), spread ability, viscosity, and drug content (97.45%). The results suggest that Finasteride-loaded NLC gel may serve as a promising topical delivery system with improved localization, sustained release, and potential reduction in systemic side effects. Keywords: Finasteride; Androgenetic alopecia; Nanostructured lipid carriers; Topical gel; 5α-reductase inhibitor; Controlled release