Ginger-derived exosome-like nanoparticles enable enhanced transdermal delivery of finasteride for androgenetic alopecia treatment.

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a highly prevalent hair loss disorder, and finasteride (FIN) is one of the two drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating AGA. The clinical use of finasteride for AGA is limited by its poor solubility and systemic adverse effects. To address the limitations of finasteride, we developed a drug delivery system using ginger-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (GELNs). These nanoparticles were loaded with finasteride and integrated into a thermosensitive gel (FIN@GELNs-Gel) to enhance transdermal absorption. In vitro results demonstrated that the formulation promoted cell migration and angiogenesis, indicating its potential to improve the hair follicle microenvironment. In vivo study on AGA mouse models showed a significant reduction in dihydrotestosterone levels in both the skin and serum. Furthermore, the treatment upregulated VEGF and Ki67 expression, accelerated the telogen-to-anagen transition effectively, all without inducing histopathological abnormalities in major organs. These results collectively demonstrate that FIN@GELNs-Gel significantly enhances the therapeutic efficacy and biosafety of finasteride, showing promising potential as an effective topical treatment for AGA.