Hair Follicles – A Long-Term Reservoir for Drug Delivery

Vol. 19, No. 4, 2006

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Original Paper

Hair Follicles - A Long-Term Reservoir for Drug Delivery
J. Lademann^a, H. Richter^a, U.F. Schaefer^b, U. Blume-Peytavi^a, A. Teichmann^a, N. Otberg^a, W. Sterry^a

^aDepartment of Dermatology and Allergy, Center of Experimental and Applied Cutaneous Physiology (CCP), Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, and
^bDepartment of Biopharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Saarland University, Saarbruecken, Germany

Address of Corresponding Author

Skin Pharmacol Physiol 2006;19:232-236 (DOI: 10.1159/000093119)

Key Words

Nanoparticles
Hair structure
Differential stripping
Cyanoacrylate biopsy

Abstract

Nanoparticles represent an important drug carrier system. Recently, we have reported on the penetration and storage behavior of particular and non-particular substances revealing the superiority of particular substances in the range of 300-400 nm. In this regard, it was assumed that the rigid hair shaft acts as a geared pump, moving the particles deeper into the hair follicle. In the present investigation, the storage reservoir capacity of the stratum corneum and the hair follicle infundibulum and canal are compared. Interestingly, we could demonstrate a 10 times longer storage within the hair follicles. These results underscore the importance of the hair follicle for drug delivery purposes, mainly highlighting new possibilities for the future concerning retarded delivery, application frequency, and galenic design.

Author Contacts

Prof. Dr. Juergen Lademann
Center of Experimental and Applied Cutaneous Physiology
Department of Dermatology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Schumannstrasse 20/21, DE-10117 Berlin (Germany)
Tel. +49 30 450 518 100, Fax +49 30 450 518 918, E-Mail Juergen.lademann@charite.de

Article Information

Received: June 29, 2005
Accepted after revision: December 2, 2005
Published online: May 4, 2006
Number of Print Pages : 5
Number of Figures : 4, Number of Tables : 0, Number of References : 21

Medline Abstract (ID 16679826)

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