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We designed formulations based on minoxidil (MXD) nanoparticles (N-MXD) and examined whether N-MXD can increase drug delivery into the follicles. In addition, we investigated the effect of N-MXD on hair growth in C57BL/6 mice. N-MXD (1%) was prepared as follows: methylcellulose, p-hydroxyalkylbenzoates, mannitol, and MXD were dispersed in purified water and milled using zirconia beads under refrigeration (5500 rpm, 30 s×15 times, intermittent milling). C57BL/6 mice were used to evaluate hair-growth effects. The expression levels of mRNA and protein for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) were determined by real-time PCR and ELISA methods, respectively. The ratio of solid-MXD was approximately 60% in N-MXD, and the MXD nanoparticles (90-300 nm) were oblong in shape. For the design of nanomedicines, usability is important. Therefore, we measured the stability and toxicity after N-MXD treatment. No agglutination of MXD nanoparticles was detected for 2 weeks, and no redness or MXD powder residue was observed in the skin after repetitive applications of N-MXD. Next, we evaluated hair-growth effects by N-MXD treatment. MXD contents in the skin tissue from N-MXD were lower than for commercially available MXD formulations (CA-MXD). Conversely, MXD contents in the hair bulbs were higher for N-MXD than for CA-MXD, and the drug efficacy of N-MXD was also higher than that of CA-MXD. In addition, the mRNA and protein levels of IGF-1 and VEGF were enhanced by the repetitive application of N-MXD and CA-MXD, and the enhanced IGF-1 and VEGF levels were significantly higher for N-MXD than for CA-MXD. We designed a novel nanomedicine based on MXD nanoparticles and showed that N-MXD can deliver MXD into hair bulbs via hair follicles and that the therapeutic efficiency for hair growth is higher than for CA-MXD (solution type).

We previously found the instillation of sericin to be useful as therapy for keratopathy with or without diabetes mellitus. In this study, we investigated whether a combination of solid magnesium hydroxide nanoparticles (MHN) enhances epithelial corneal wound healing by sericin using rabbits, normal rats and type 2 diabetes mellitus rats with debrided corneal epithelium (ex vivo and in vivo studies). Ophthalmic formulations containing sericin and MHN (N-Ser) were prepared using a bead mill method. The mean particle size of the N-Ser was 110.3 nm at the time of preparation, and 148.1 nm one month later. The instillation of N-Ser had no effect on the amount of lacrimal fluid in normal rabbits (in vivo), but the MHN in N-Ser was found to expand the intercellular space in ex vivo rat corneas. In addition, the instillation of N-Ser increased the phosphorylation of Extracellular Signal-regulated Kinase (ERK)1/2, a factor involved in cell adhesion and cell proliferation in the corneal epithelium, in comparison with the instillation of sericin alone. The combination with MHN enhanced epithelial corneal wound healing by sericin in rat debrided corneal epithelium (in vivo). This study provides significant information to prepare potent drugs to cure severe keratopathy, such as diabetic keratopathy.

Aortic injury occurred during resternotomy in a 22-year-old woman who had undergone a Rastelli-type operation. Although extracorporeal circulation using the right femoral artery and vein was commenced immediately, hemostasis through the midline incision was impossible, and her circulation was hardly maintained. Thus, the parasternal approach was attempted, dividing the right first through fourth ribs and the head of the right clavicle. This approach enabled the assistant to give effective compression to the aortic injury site. Dissection of the adhesions around the ascending aorta was safely carried out, and the aortic laceration was closed without the help of circulatory arrest.