{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,31]],"date-time":"2026-07-31T15:24:03Z","timestamp":1785511443942,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,27]],"date-time":"2024-11-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1732665600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"HairDAO Association","award":["00193-00002389\/2023-76"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["00193-00002389\/2023-76"]}]},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100005668","name":"Brazilian agency FAPDF","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["00193-00002389\/2023-76"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["00193-00002389\/2023-76"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100005668","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pharmaceutics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Although androgenic alopecia is the most prevalent among non-cicatricial alopecia, it still lacks an effective and safe treatment. Dutasteride (DUT) shows promising results in hair regrowth; however, oral DUT intake causes serious sexual adverse events. Hence, we produced liposomes with different bilayer structures and evaluated the capability of such systems in increasing DUT accumulation in the hair follicles. Methods: In vitro skin penetration tests were performed with porcine ear skin, and the follicular targeting factor (Tf) was calculated as the ratio between DUT amount in HFs and DUT recovered from the sum of all skin layers. Results: While the stiffer DUT-loaded liposome was not able to target the hair follicles in 12 h (Tf = 0.15), a DUT-loaded liposome with an edge activator in its composition, i.e., transfersomes, promoted better control over DUT release and a higher Tf (0.32) (p &lt; 0.005). Conclusions: Transfersomes present higher affinity with DUT providing a better controlled release; hence, they are a better option for DUT follicle targeting compared to liposomes. Further formulation optimizations are needed aiming to prolong such targeting effect.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/pharmaceutics16121524","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,27]],"date-time":"2024-11-27T07:18:42Z","timestamp":1732691922000},"page":"1524","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":15,"title":["Evaluation of Dutasteride-Loaded Liposomes and Transfersomes for Follicular-Targeting for Androgenic Alopecia Topical Treatment"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8748-8798","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jayanaraian F. M.","family":"Andrade","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (LTMAC), University of Brasilia (UnB), Bras\u00edlia 70910-900, DF, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Breno N.","family":"Matos","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (LTMAC), University of Brasilia (UnB), Bras\u00edlia 70910-900, DF, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rafael V.","family":"Rocho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (LTMAC), University of Brasilia (UnB), Bras\u00edlia 70910-900, DF, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3092-0137","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Geisa N.","family":"Barbalho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (LTMAC), University of Brasilia (UnB), Bras\u00edlia 70910-900, DF, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9167-6852","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marcilio","family":"Cunha-Filho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (LTMAC), University of Brasilia (UnB), Bras\u00edlia 70910-900, DF, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1924-7885","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Guilherme M.","family":"Gelfuso","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (LTMAC), University of Brasilia (UnB), Bras\u00edlia 70910-900, DF, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6481-2364","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ta\u00eds","family":"Gratieri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Laboratory of Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (LTMAC), University of Brasilia (UnB), Bras\u00edlia 70910-900, DF, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"246","DOI":"10.1097\/MED.0b013e32832b100a","article-title":"Androgens and Hair Loss","volume":"16","author":"Alsantali","year":"2009","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Endocrinol. Diabetes Obes."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"964","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJM199909233411307","article-title":"Treatment of Hair Loss","volume":"341","author":"Price","year":"1999","journal-title":"N. Engl. J. Med."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1007\/s12020-017-1280-y","article-title":"Androgenetic Alopecia: A Review","volume":"57","author":"Lolli","year":"2017","journal-title":"Endocrine"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"951","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.331.7522.951","article-title":"The Psychological Impact of Alopecia","volume":"331","author":"Hunt","year":"2005","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"ref_5","first-page":"371","article-title":"Hair Loss: Common Causes and Treatment","volume":"96","author":"Phillips","year":"2017","journal-title":"Am. Fam. Physician"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"45","DOI":"10.1208\/s12249-012-9888-y","article-title":"Design and In Vitro Evaluation of Finasteride-Loaded Liquid Crystalline Nanoparticles for Topical Delivery","volume":"14","author":"Madheswaran","year":"2013","journal-title":"AAPS PharmSciTech"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jeong, W.Y., Kim, S., Lee, S.Y., Lee, H., Han, D.W., Yang, S.Y., and Kim, K.S. (2019). Transdermal Delivery of Minoxidil Using HA-PLGA Nanoparticles for the Treatment in Alopecia. Biomater. Res., 23.","DOI":"10.1186\/s40824-019-0164-z"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e12915","DOI":"10.1111\/dth.12915","article-title":"Tretinoin Enhances Minoxidil Response in Androgenetic Alopecia Patients by Upregulating Follicular Sulfotransferase Enzymes","volume":"32","author":"Sharma","year":"2019","journal-title":"Dermatol. Ther."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"509","DOI":"10.1208\/s12249-016-0519-x","article-title":"Preparation and Characterization of Minoxidil Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers","volume":"18","author":"Wang","year":"2017","journal-title":"AAPS PharmSciTech"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"411","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ejps.2016.10.016","article-title":"Solid Effervescent Formulations as New Approach for Topical Minoxidil Delivery","volume":"96","author":"Pereira","year":"2017","journal-title":"Eur. J. Pharm. Sci."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"330","DOI":"10.1111\/dth.12369","article-title":"Minoxidil Topical Treatment May Be More Efficient If Applied on Damp Scalp in Comparison with Dry Scalp: Minoxidil Topical Treatment","volume":"29","author":"Angelo","year":"2016","journal-title":"Dermatol. Ther."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1295","DOI":"10.1517\/14656561003752730","article-title":"Male Androgenetic Alopecia","volume":"11","author":"Rathnayake","year":"2010","journal-title":"Expert Opin. Pharmacother."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1014","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaad.2006.05.007","article-title":"The Importance of Dual 5\u03b1-Reductase Inhibition in the Treatment of Male Pattern Hair Loss: Results of a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Study of Dutasteride versus Finasteride","volume":"55","author":"Olsen","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Am. Acad. Dermatol."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"489","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaad.2013.10.049","article-title":"A Randomized, Active- and Placebo-Controlled Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Different Doses of Dutasteride versus Placebo and Finasteride in the Treatment of Male Subjects with Androgenetic Alopecia","volume":"70","author":"Tsai","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Am. Acad. Dermatol."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"252","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaad.2009.09.018","article-title":"Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of Dutasteride 0.5 Mg Once Daily in Male Patients with Male Pattern Hair Loss: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Phase III Study","volume":"63","author":"Eun","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Am. Acad. Dermatol."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.4103\/0378-6323.188652","article-title":"Superiority of Dutasteride over Finasteride in Hair Regrowth and Reversal of Miniaturization in Men with Androgenetic Alopecia: A Randomized Controlled Open-Label, Evaluator-Blinded Study","volume":"83","author":"Shanshanwal","year":"2017","journal-title":"Indian J. Dermatol. Venereol. Leprol."},{"key":"ref_17","first-page":"56","article-title":"Adverse Effects and Safety of 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitors (Finasteride, Dutasteride): A Systematic Review","volume":"9","author":"Hirshburg","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Clin. Aesthet. Dermatol."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"56","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijbiomac.2020.02.143","article-title":"Dutasteride Nanocapsules for Hair Follicle Targeting: Effect of Chitosan-Coating and Physical Stimulus","volume":"151","author":"Ushirobira","year":"2020","journal-title":"Int. J. Biol. Macromol."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e09394","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heliyon.2022.e09394","article-title":"Liposomes: Structure, Composition, Types, and Clinical Applications","volume":"8","author":"Nsairat","year":"2022","journal-title":"Heliyon"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"177","DOI":"10.2174\/1872211310666161004155757","article-title":"Liposomal Drug Delivery System for Cancer Therapy: Advancement and Patents","volume":"10","author":"Jha","year":"2016","journal-title":"Recent Pat. Drug Deliv. Formul."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1005","DOI":"10.2147\/IJN.S55359","article-title":"Nanotherapeutics in the EU: An Overview on Current State and Future Directions","volume":"9","author":"Pepic","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int. J. Nanomed."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"285","DOI":"10.1080\/10408398.2011.559558","article-title":"Food-Grade Nanoemulsions: Formulation, Fabrication, Properties, Performance, Biological Fate, and Potential Toxicity","volume":"51","author":"McClements","year":"2011","journal-title":"Crit. Rev. Food Sci. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"dos Santos, G.A., Ferreira-Nunes, R., Dalmolin, L.F., dos Santos R\u00e9, A.C., Anjos, J.L.V., Mendanha, S.A., Aires, C.P., Lopez, R.F.V., Cunha-Filho, M., and Gelfuso, G.M. (2020). Besifloxacin Liposomes with Positively Charged Additives for an Improved Topical Ocular Delivery. Sci. Rep., 10.","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-020-76381-y"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"341","DOI":"10.1016\/j.colsurfb.2018.06.037","article-title":"The Role of Formulation and Follicular Pathway in Voriconazole Cutaneous Delivery from Liposomes and Nanostructured Lipid Carriers","volume":"170","author":"Angelo","year":"2018","journal-title":"Colloids Surf. B Biointerfaces"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"40","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ejpb.2014.04.015","article-title":"Impact of Lipid Dynamic Behavior on Physical Stability, in Vitro Release and Skin Permeation of Genistein-Loaded Lipid Nanoparticles","volume":"88","author":"Andrade","year":"2014","journal-title":"Eur. J. Pharm. Biopharm."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3377","DOI":"10.1194\/jlr.D008391","article-title":"Comprehensive Analysis of the Major Lipid Classes in Sebum by Rapid Resolution High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Electrospray Mass Spectrometry","volume":"51","author":"Camera","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Lipid Res."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101895","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jddst.2020.101895","article-title":"The Influence of Sebaceous Content on the Performance of Nanosystems Designed for the Treatment of Follicular Diseases","volume":"59","author":"Tolentino","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Drug Deliv. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_28","first-page":"637","article-title":"Effective Treatment of Female Androgenic Alopecia with Dutasteride","volume":"4","author":"Olszewska","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. Drugs Dermatol."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"136","DOI":"10.2174\/157016311795563901","article-title":"Development and Characterization of Dutasteride Bearing Liposomal Systems for Topical Use","volume":"8","author":"Sharma","year":"2011","journal-title":"Curr. Drug Discov. Technol."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"81","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajps.2014.09.004","article-title":"A Review on Phospholipids and Their Main Applications in Drug Delivery Systems","volume":"10","author":"Li","year":"2015","journal-title":"Asian J. Pharm. Sci."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1112","DOI":"10.1016\/S1359-6446(03)02903-9","article-title":"Nanotech Approaches to Drug Delivery and Imaging","volume":"8","author":"Sahoo","year":"2003","journal-title":"Drug Discov. Today"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"137","DOI":"10.1038\/sj.gt.3300554","article-title":"Inclusion of Cholesterol in DOTAP Transfection Complexes Increases the Delivery of DNA to Cells in Vitro in the Presence of Serum","volume":"5","author":"Crook","year":"1998","journal-title":"Gene Ther."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"100","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jconrel.2006.04.014","article-title":"Toxicity of Cationic Lipids and Cationic Polymers in Gene Delivery","volume":"114","author":"Lv","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Control. Release"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"40","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fct.2018.01.017","article-title":"Cholesterol Modulates the Liposome Membrane Fluidity and Permeability for a Hydrophilic Molecule","volume":"113","author":"Kaddah","year":"2018","journal-title":"Food Chem. Toxicol."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"613","DOI":"10.2174\/1567201813666160520114436","article-title":"Ethosomes and Transfersomes: Principles, Perspectives and Practices","volume":"14","author":"Garg","year":"2017","journal-title":"Curr. Drug Deliv."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2465","DOI":"10.2217\/nnm-2021-0335","article-title":"Transfersomes as Alternative Topical Nanodosage Forms for The Treatment of Skin Disorders","volume":"16","author":"Morales","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nanomedicine"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1800039","DOI":"10.1002\/ejlt.201800039","article-title":"Comparative Effects of Cholesterol and \u03b2-Sitosterol on the Liposome Membrane Characteristics","volume":"120","author":"Ota","year":"2018","journal-title":"Eur. J. Lipid Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"166","DOI":"10.1159\/000323273","article-title":"Innovative Sunscreen Formulation Based on Benzophenone-3-Loaded Chitosan-Coated Polymeric Nanocapsules","volume":"24","author":"Siqueira","year":"2011","journal-title":"Skin. Pharmacol. Physiol."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"331","DOI":"10.1016\/j.colsurfb.2015.06.036","article-title":"Liposomal Voriconazole (VOR) Formulation for Improved Ocular Delivery","volume":"133","author":"Taveira","year":"2015","journal-title":"Colloids Surf. B Biointerfaces"}],"container-title":["Pharmaceutics"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1999-4923\/16\/12\/1524\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T16:40:25Z","timestamp":1760114425000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1999-4923\/16\/12\/1524"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,27]]},"references-count":39,"journal-issue":{"issue":"12","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,12]]}},"alternative-id":["pharmaceutics16121524"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/pharmaceutics16121524","relation":{},"ISSN":["1999-4923"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1999-4923","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,27]]}}}