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Background: Valproic acid (VPA) is used to treat various neurological and psychiatric conditions. While oral VPA can cause hair loss, topical application has shown potential for hair regeneration. This study aimed to develop and evaluate microemulsion (ME) formulations of VPA for enhanced transfollicular delivery., Methods: VPA-loaded MEs were prepared using oleic acid, Transcutol P, Tween 80, Labrasol, and Capryol 90. The MEs were characterized for physicochemical properties, stability, in vitro release, and ex vivo permeation through the hairy abdominal and nonhairy ear skin of guinea pigs., Results: Eight stable ME formulations were developed with droplet sizes ranging from 10 to 24 nm, pH 4.6 to 5.2, and viscosity 77 to 85 cps. In vitro release studies showed controlled release profiles over 24 h. Permeation studies revealed enhanced drug delivery through both follicular and nonfollicular pathways compared with aqueous VPA solution. Formulations with higher surfactant/cosurfactant ratios showed increased permeation through the follicular pathway., Conclusion: The ME formulations significantly enhanced VPA penetration into both epidermal and follicular pathways compared with aqueous solution. The composition of the MEs, particularly the oil content, water content, and surfactant/cosurfactant ratio, played a crucial role in determining the physicochemical properties and skin permeation parameters of VPA., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD), the second most prevalent neurological disorder in the elderly, manifests with distinctive movement disorders, including bradykinesia, resting tremor, and stiffness. With a progressive course, current treatment strategies primarily target symptomatic relief. Crocin is a chemical compound isolated from the dry stigma of Crocus sativus, and has demonstrated neuroprotective properties., Objectives: This study explores the impact of crocin on movement disorders and neuronal oxidative DNA damage in PD patients., Method: Conducted as a randomized, blinded, and controlled trial, this research focused on patients aged 30 to 80 with idiopathic PD. Using the second and third parts of the movement disorder society-unified PD rating scale (MDS-UPDRS), aspects of daily life activity and movement disorders were assessed before and after an 8-week intervention. Patients in the crocin groups received capsules containing 30 mg of crocin twice daily. Additionally, the 8-hydroxy-2-deoxydiguanosine (8-OHdG) to urinary creatinine ratio (8-OHdG/uCr) was measured to evaluate neuronal oxidative DNA damage., Results: Out of the initially evaluated 164 patients, 30 were randomly assigned to each group, with 53 subjects completing the study. Within-group analysis revealed a significant improvement in the second and third parts of MDS-UPDRS after 8 weeks of crocin intervention (P < 0.05). However, the 8-OHdG/uCr did not show significant changes. The well-tolerated daily dose of 60 mg of crocin demonstrated minimal side effects., Conclusion: This study establishes the efficacy of crocin in enhancing daily life activities and mitigating movement disorders, suggesting its potential as a supplementary intervention alongside conventional PD medications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Methimazole, an oral antithyroid drug, has recently gained attention for its skin-brightening effects when applied topically to treat melasma. This study aims to develop, optimize, and characterize a methimazole microemulsion as a novel, safe approach for local melasma treatment., Materials and Methods: We prepared microemulsion formulations containing 3% methimazole by combining appropriate amounts of surfactants (Tween 80 and Span 20), propylene glycol cosurfactant, and an oil phase (oleic acid-transcutol p at a 1:10 ratio). We then assessed droplet size, stability, viscosity, and skin permeation using rat skin models., Results: The microemulsions' droplet sizes ranged from 7.06 to 28.13 nm, with viscosities between 120 and 254 centipoises. Our analysis identified droplet size, viscosity, and membrane release as significant independent variables. We determined the permeability parameters of the optimal formulation through rat skin, including steady-state permeability rate (J ss ), permeability coefficient (p), lag time (T lag ), and apparent diffusion coefficient (D app )., Conclusion: We found that the microemulsions' characteristics, physicochemical properties, and in vitro release depended on the surfactant-to-cosurfactant ratio, water content, and oil content. We developed an optimal formulation with a high surfactant-to-cosurfactant ratio and low water and oil percentages. This formulation shows potential for commercialization and manufacturing of final products., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)