Microsponges for Targeted Delivery of Rosemary Oil to Promote Hair Growth

Greg Howard
4th July, 2024

Microsponges for Targeted Delivery of Rosemary Oil to Promote Hair Growth

Image Source: Natural Science News, 2024

Key Findings

  • Researchers at The British University in Egypt developed a new rosemary oil gel using microsponges to improve hair growth
  • The optimized rosemary oil gel showed better skin absorption and three times more follicle retention than regular rosemary oil gel
  • In tests, the new gel increased hair length, thickness, and bulb diameter more effectively than both regular rosemary oil gel and minoxidil
Hair loss is a prevalent issue affecting individuals worldwide, leading to significant psychological distress. Recent research from The British University in Egypt (BUE) investigates the potential of rosemary oil (ROS) to stimulate hair growth, focusing on enhancing its limited permeability through innovative ROS-loaded microsponges (MS)[1]. The study employs a Box-Behnken design to optimize the ROS-MS compositions by varying solvent volume, polymer mix, and drug concentration. The optimized formulation demonstrates impressive attributes: a 94% ± 0.04 production yield, 99.6% ± 0.5 encapsulation efficiency, and 96.4% ± 1.6 cumulative ROS release within 24 hours. These microsponges exhibit uniformity with a particle size of 14.1 µm ± 4.5, ensuring consistent application. The OPT-ROSMS-gel, derived from these microsponges, showcases favorable characteristics in appearance, spreadability, pH, drug content, and extrudability. Ex-vivo skin deposition tests reveal heightened permeability of OPT-ROSMS-gel compared to pure ROS-gel, resulting in three-fold increased follicular retention. In-vivo studies further underscore the superior efficacy of OPT-ROSMS-gel, revealing enhanced hair development in length, thickness, and bulb diameter, surpassing ROS-gel and minoxidil by approximately 1.2 and 1.5 times, respectively, along with a nearly two-fold increase in β-catenin levels. This study builds upon previous findings, such as the research on methotrexate (MTX) incorporated into ultra-permeable niosomal vesicles. This earlier study demonstrated that optimizing formulation variables could significantly enhance drug permeation and stability[2]. Similarly, the ROS-MS approach leverages microsponges to improve the delivery and efficacy of rosemary oil, addressing its inherent permeability limitations. Additionally, the study aligns with prior research on boehmite's hair growth properties, which highlighted the importance of promoting cell transition to the anagen phase, a critical event in the hair follicle cycle[3]. The increased β-catenin levels observed with OPT-ROSMS-gel suggest a similar mechanism, promoting follicular cell proliferation and hair growth. Moreover, the current study's findings resonate with research on a 1% hair lotion incorporated with methanolic extract of Rosmarinus officinalis, which showed significant hair growth-promoting activity[4]. The innovative ROS-MS formulation further enhances the delivery and efficacy of rosemary oil, providing a more effective alternative to traditional hair growth promoters. In conclusion, the research from The British University in Egypt (BUE) highlights the potential of microsponges as a promising delivery method for rosemary oil, effectively addressing hair loss. This innovative approach not only advances hair loss treatments but also underscores the significance of optimizing drug delivery systems to enhance therapeutic outcomes. The study's findings pave the way for further exploration and development of advanced formulations to combat hair loss and improve individuals' quality of life.

MedicineHealthBiochem

References

Main Study

1) Microsponges-mediated targeted topical delivery of rosemary oil for hair growth promotion: optimization and in-vivo studies.

Published 3rd July, 2024

https://doi.org/10.1080/10837450.2024.2372572

Related Studies

2) Enhanced Permeation of Methotrexate via Loading into Ultra-permeable Niosomal Vesicles: Fabrication, Statistical Optimization, Ex Vivo Studies, and In Vivo Skin Deposition and Tolerability.

https://doi.org/10.1208/s12249-019-1380-5

3) Boehmite enhances hair follicle growth via stimulation of dermal papilla cells by upregulating β-catenin signalling.

https://doi.org/10.1111/exd.14051

4) Evaluation of Herbal Hair Lotion loaded with Rosemary for Possible Hair Growth in C57BL/6 Mice.

https://doi.org/10.4103/abr.abr_306_21


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