What Is Minoxidil?
What is minoxidil used for?
Minoxidil was the first medication used as a potent direct-acting peripheral vasodilator to lower blood pressure, but it increased body hair.
Later, minoxidil was widely studied and used for male baldness.
Because of its poor water solubility, minoxidil is formulated as minoxidil sulfate to improve its solubility in water and avoid the irritation caused by its standard solvent, propylene glycol.
Studies have shown that about 40% of men experience hair regrowth after 3–6 months.
You should apply it indefinitely to continue supporting existing hair follicles and maintain any hair regrowth you have experienced.
It is also used with many other ingredients to achieve better hair-growing effects.
We see many hair-growth products fortified with finasteride, dutasteride, azelaic acid, and tretinoin.
Studies show that 0.01% of tretinoin can double its efficacy on growing hair back.
Kirkland and Rogaine are the most well-known brands in the hair loss market.
North America is the leading global market owing to the high adoption of hair-loss treatment products.
According to the American Hair Loss Association, over 80% of men experience hair loss by age 50.
Even further, over 21 million women suffer from hair loss problems, and about 40% of them opt for active treatments.
The demand for minoxidil will surge due to the aging global population.
According to the United Nations Economic & Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in North & Central Asia, the population ratio aged 60 and above will increase to over 24% by 2050.
The video below explains how minoxidil works against hair loss.
The exciting news is that other ingredients can significantly enhance minoxidil’s efficacy.
Scientists conducted a test to treat hair loss by combining tretinoin. The reason is pretty simple: the scalps of some people who are not responding to minoxidil will respond after applying tretinoin for four days.
Minoxidil 2% vs 5% vs 10% on Hair-Growth
There are two typical specifications of its topical formulations in the market:
2% type and 5% type, either as topical solutions, aerosol foams, or topical liquids.
You may wonder which brand is best for a receding hairline and which specifications and formulations to choose for better hair regrowth.
One study conducted by the Duke Dermatopharmacology Study Center in 2002 showed that in men with AGA (androgenetic alopecia), the 5% topical was superior to the 2% placebo in increasing hair regrowth. The magnitude of its effect was marked (45% more hair regrowth than 2% topical at week 48).
Men who used the 5% topical also responded to treatment earlier than those who used the 2% topical, so that minoxidil will improve psychosocial perceptions of hair loss in men with AGA.
The men in this trial tolerated its topical form (5% and 2%) without evidence of systemic effects.
Its 2% topical solution was approved in 1991by Upjohn to treat female hair loss, applied twice daily.
In recent years, the first 5% minoxidil foam for women was approved in 2014 and is applied once daily.
5% foam, no doubt, takes less time and is more convenient to apply.
One study showed that patients using 5% foam had a mean 32-hair/cm2 or 16% increase, which was not significantly different from the 14% increase documented in women using the 2% topical solution.
But a 2% difference is bigger than nothing.
Polls show that women prefer 5% foam to 2% topical solution.
By comparison, we conclude that 5% works better than 2% for hair growth in both men and women, and that the 5% solution is more effective than 2% at maintaining existing hair and regrowing lost hair.
Scientists generally find that the higher the concentration, the better the effect on treating androgenetic alopecia.
So now you have your answer: choose the brands with higher concentrations.
However, the higher the concentration, the greater the risk of adverse effects.
Only 10% or even 15% of formulations are in the market; we haven’t seen concentrations higher than 15% yet.
Please be cautious when considering a switch to a higher concentration, and consult your doctor immediately before making any decisions.
Is Minoxidil Suitable For Beard Growth?
Partly influenced by NBA beard star James Harden, growing a thick beard is becoming increasingly popular.
Are there any finished topical formulations for growing a thick beard?
The ‘official’ answer is no, as no FDA-approved formulation for beard growth exists.
But there are many successful cases of men applying it to their faces to get their thick beards.
You can grow your beard by using any of the topical formulations on the market, such as Rogaine, Kirkland, Equate, Tugain, Lipogaine, NO Problem!!!
Minoxidil is used to lower blood pressure and in topical formulations for hair growth.
If you ever need it, contact us for it anytime!
How To Dissolve Minxodil For 1HNMR And HPLC?
The question of how to dissolve minoxidil for HPLC and 1H NMR testing is a small one that arose in our lab.
When we test 1 NMR spectra for unverified molecules, we often use DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) as a solvent.
However, it is difficult for us to dissolve it in DMSO.
Our Technician In Charge, Felix, has an idea: adding a small amount of hydrochloric acid significantly increases the solubility of the compound in DMSO.
And voilà, we got the concentration we needed for our 1H NMR.
Sometimes, it is just that simple: a slight change will make a difference.
You can find our Minoxidil 1H NMR spectrum with hydrochloride for your reference.
You can follow the testing procedure in the USP monograph for the HPLC method of analysis.
You can always improvise according to the different testing conditions you have.
If anything about the testing methods is unclear, contact us anytime.
What Is The HS Code For Minxodil?
Pure minoxidil powder is an organic compound with a pyrimidine ring.
It used to belong to one group categorized as other compounds containing pyrimidine rings in the structure (including other compounds containing piperazine rings in the structure), with HS Code 2933990099. (其他仅含氮杂原子的杂环化合物)
In 2020, it is categorized in China Customs into 2938909090, compounds of other natural or synthetic reconstituted glycosides and their salts, etc.(其他天然或合成再制的苷及其盐等)
The HS code differs if you import its medical or cosmetic formulations as finished products from China.
The relevant HS code for finished products, such as minoxidil spray, is 3305900000, categorized as other hair-protecting agents. (其他护发品)
In case you are not sure about its hs code, feel free to contact us anytime！
How Much Does Bulk Minoxidil Powder Cost?
Before you ask for its prices, please note that there are at least three grades available in the market:
1. Pharma-Grade Minoxidil with MOH Registration Documents
Pharmaceutical-grade minoxidil with GMP and DMF is suitable for dosage manufacturing for tablets, capsules, etc.
Sure, you can also use it for ointment and sprays.
Just know that this is the best type of all the 3.
The price for commercial order quantity (over 100kg) of pharmaceutical grade with GMP and DMF in China is around 380~400usd/kg.
2. Pharma-Grade Minoxidil without Registration Documents
Pharma-grade minoxidil, with a Chinese Drug Manufacturing License but no GMP/DMF, is suitable for hair spray production and pharmacy compounding.
The cost of non-GMP-type pharma-grade material is around 330 USD/kg.
3. Cosmetic Grade Minoxidil, AKA chemical grade Minoxidil
You can use cosmetic-grade minoxidil for cosmetic formulations: sprays, foams, etc.
The price for commercial order quantities (over 100kg) of cosmetic grade is around 300 USD/kg.
How To Ship and Store Minoxidil API?
#1. Shipping methods:
First, minoxidil powder is safe for shipping by air.
It is not flammable, explosive, oxidizing, toxic, etc.
It is not a dangerous chemical in any way.
So we can ship it by courier or by air for small quantities.
It is also okay to ship by sea or inland for commercial quantities.
As it is a safe chemical, you don’t need special packing for its shipping, unlike goods of dangerous type 6.1 or other types.
#2. Shipping and storage conditions:
Stability testing has proved that minoxidil powder is stable for two years at room temperature when properly stored.
Just make sure to protect it from direct sunlight and moisture.
Therefore, we can ship and store it at normal temperature without any cold-chain requirements.
Disclaimer:
This content is for informational purposes only and is intended for business-to-business communication within the pharmaceutical industry. It is not intended as medical advice. The manufacture, import, and use of API must comply with all applicable laws and regulations in the relevant country or region.
This blog post is informational only and does not constitute medical advice.
Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any new medication or treatment.
