Alopecia Management Potential of Rosemary-Based Nanoemulgel Loaded with Metformin: Approach Combining Active Essential Oil and Repurposed Drug.

Introduction: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a multifactorial and age-related dermatological disease that affects both males and females, usually at older ages. Traditional hair repair drugs exemplified by minoxidil have limitations such as skin irritation and hypertrichosis. Thus, attention has been shifted to the use of repurposing drugs. Metformin is an anti-diabetic drug, that can promote hair follicle regeneration via upregulation of the hair-inductive capability. Hence, the current study aims to fabricate a safe and effective nanoemulsion to improve metformin efficacy in targeting AGA. Methods: Rosemary oil was selected as the oily phase due to its ability to increase blood flow and hair growth. Rosemary-based nanoemulsions were statistically optimized by Box-Behnken experimental design, loaded with metformin, and incorporated into a hydrogel to form a nanoemulgel. Metformin-loaded nanoemulsions were assessed for their diametric size, uniformity, zeta potential, and metformin characteristics within the formulated nanosystem. The nanoemulgel was then evaluated in terms of its pH, percentage drug content, and in-vitro release performance. In- Results: The experimental design displayed that using 50%w/w, 20%w/w, and 10%w/w of Cremophor Conclusion: The designed nanoemulgel is a promising approach for treating androgenic alopecia.