Ascorbic acid derivative-loaded modified aspasomes: formulation, in vitro, ex vivo and clinical evaluation for melasma treatment

Duo photoprotective effect via silica-coated zinc oxide nanoparticles and Vitamin C nanovesicles composites

OBJECTIVE

Zinc Oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are used widely in nowadays personal care products, especially sunscreens, as a protector against UV irradiation. Yet, they have some reports of potential toxicity. Silica is widely used to cage ZnO NPs to reduce their potential toxicity. Vitamin C derivative, Magnesium Ascorpyl Phosphate (MAP), is a potent antioxidant that can efficiently protect human skin from harmful impacts of UV irradiation and oxidative stress. The combination of silica coated ZnO NPs and MAP nanovesicles could have potential synergistic protective effect against skin photodamage.

METHODS

Silica coated ZnO NPs and MAP nanovesicles (ethosomes and niosomes) were synthesized, formulated, and evaluated as topical gels. These gel formulations were evaluated in mice for their photoprotective effect against UV irradiation through histopathology and immuno-histochemistry study. Split-face clinical study was conducted to compare the effect of application of silica coated ZnO NPs either alone or combined with MAP nanovesicles. Their photoprotective action was evaluated, using Antera 3D® camera, for melanin level, roughness index and wrinkles depth.

RESULTS

Silica coated ZnO NPs when combined with MAP nanovesicles protected mice skin from UV irradiation and decreased the expression of the proinflammatory cytokines, NF-κB. Clinically, silica coated ZnO NPs, alone or combined with MAP nanovesicles, could have significant effect to decrease melanin level, roughness index and wrinkles depth with higher effect for the combination.

CONCLUSION

A composite of silica coated ZnO NPs and MAP nanovesicles could be a promising cosmetic formulation for skin protection against photodamage signs such as hyperpigmentation, roughness, and wrinkles.

A comprehensive review on lipid nanocarrier systems for cancer treatment: fabrication, future prospects and clinical trials

Over the last few decades, cancer has been considered a clinical challenge, being among the leading causes of mortality all over the world. Although many treatment approaches have been developed for cancer, chemotherapy is still the most utilized in the clinical setting. However, the available chemotherapeutics-based treatments have several caveats including their lack of specificity, adverse effects as well as cancer relapse and metastasis which mainly explains the low survival rate of patients. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have been utilized as promising nanocarrier systems for chemotherapeutics to overcome the challenges of the currently applied therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment. Loading chemotherapeutic agent(s) into LNPs improves drug delivery at different aspects including specific targeting of tumours, and enhancing the bioavailability of drugs at the tumour site through selective release of their payload, thus reducing their undesired side effects on healthy cells. This review article delineates an overview of the clinical challenges in many cancer treatments as well as depicts the role of LNPs in achieving optimal therapeutic outcomes. Moreover, the review contains a comprehensive description of the many LNPs categories used as nanocarriers in cancer treatment to date, as well as the potential of LNPs for future applications in other areas of medicine and research.

A Comprehensive Review on Niosomes as a Tool for Advanced Drug Delivery

Over the past few decades, advancements in nanocarrier-based therapeutic delivery have been significant, and niosomes research has recently received much interest. The self-assembled nonionic surfactant vesicles lead to the production of niosomes. The most recent nanocarriers, niosomes, are self-assembled vesicles made of nonionic surfactants with or without the proper quantities of cholesterol or other amphiphilic molecules. Because of their durability, low cost of components, largescale production, simple maintenance, and high entrapment efficiency, niosomes are being used more frequently. Additionally, they enhance pharmacokinetics, reduce toxicity, enhance the solubility of poorly water-soluble compounds, & increase bioavailability. One of the most crucial features of niosomes is their controlled release and targeted diffusion, which is utilized for treating cancer, infectious diseases, and other problems. In this review article, we have covered all the fundamental information about niosomes, including preparation techniques, niosomes types, factors influencing their formation, niosomes evaluation, applications, and administration routes, along with recent developments.

Organic and Biogenic Nanocarriers as Bio-Friendly Systems for Bioactive Compounds' Delivery: State-of-the Art and Challenges

"Green" strategies to build up novel organic nanocarriers with bioperformance are modern trends in nanotechnology. In this way, the valorization of bio-wastes and the use of living systems to develop multifunctional organic and biogenic nanocarriers (OBNs) have revolutionized the nanotechnological and biomedical fields. This paper is a comprehensive review related to OBNs for bioactives' delivery, providing an overview of the reports on the past two decades. In the first part, several classes of bioactive compounds and their therapeutic role are briefly presented. A broad section is dedicated to the main categories of organic and biogenic nanocarriers. The major challenges regarding the eco-design and the fate of OBNs are suggested to overcome some toxicity-related drawbacks. Future directions and opportunities, and finding "green" solutions for solving the problems related to nanocarriers, are outlined in the final of this paper. We believe that through this review, we will capture the attention of the readers and will open new perspectives for new solutions/ideas for the discovery of more efficient and "green" ways in developing novel bioperformant nanocarriers for transporting bioactive agents.

A Comprehensive Bibliographic Review Concerning the Efficacy of Organic Acids for Chemical Peels Treating Acne Vulgaris

Acne vulgaris stands out as the most prevalent skin disorder among teenagers and young adults, causing physical discomfort and considerable economic and psychological burdens on individuals and society. A wide range of topical and systemic therapies are available in acne treatment. Chemical peeling is a skin resurfacing technique designed to rebuild healthy skin using exfoliating substances, a simple and affordable process with various dermatological uses. Chemical peels, classified as superficial, medium, and deep, have been utilized for acne vulgaris and multiple other skin issues. In these chemical peels, a diverse range of chemical substances is employed, each with its unique mode of action. Among these, α-hydroxy and β-hydroxy acids have gathered attention for their efficacy in reducing acne lesions and enhancing overall skin appearance. Acids, such as salicylic acid, glycolic acid, or lactic acid, are commonly used in chemical peels due to their exfoliating and sebum-regulating properties. Despite the widespread use of these acids, there exists a lack of consensus regarding the most effective acid type and concentration for treating acne-prone skin. This review aims to bridge this knowledge gap by evaluating the effectiveness and safety of various organic acids used in chemical peels specifically for acne-prone skin. The findings of this comprehensive bibliographic review indicate that organic acid-based chemical peels represent effective and safe treatment options for individuals with acne-prone skin. Their adaptability sets these treatments apart; the choice of organic acid can be tailored to meet individual patient needs and tolerability levels. This personalized approach ensures that patients receive optimal care while minimizing the risks associated with the treatment. As research in this field progresses, it is anticipated that a more nuanced understanding of the ideal acid type and concentration will emerge, further enhancing the efficacy and safety of chemical peels for acne-prone skin.

Decrypting the Potential of Nanotechnology-Based Approaches as Cutting-Edge for Management of Hyperpigmentation Disorder

The abundant synthesis and accretion of melanin inside skin can be caused by activation of melanogenic enzymes or increase in number of melanocytes. Melasma is defined as hyperpigmented bright or dark brown spots which are symmetrically distributed and have serrated and irregular borders. The three general categories of pigmentation pattern include centro facial pattern, malar pattern, and mandibular pattern. Exposure to UV rays, heat, use of cosmetics and photosensitizing drugs, female sex hormonal therapies, aberrant production of melanocyte stimulating hormone, and increasing aesthetic demands are factors which cause the development of melasma disease. This review gives a brief overview regarding the Fitzpatrick skin phototype classification system, life cycle of melanin, mechanism of action of anti-hyperpigmenting drugs, and existing pharmacotherapy strategies for the treatment of melasma. The objectives of this review are focused on role of cutting-edge nanotechnology-based strategies, such as lipid-based nanocarriers, i.e., lipid nanoparticles, microemulsions, nanoemulsions, liposomes, ethosomes, niosomes, transfersomes, aspasomes, invasomes penetration-enhancing vesicles; inorganic nanocarriers, i.e., gold nanoparticles and fullerenes; and polymer-based nanocarriers i.e., polymeric nanoparticles, polymerosomes, and polymeric micelles for the management of hyperpigmentation.

Improvement of ascorbic acid delivery into human skin via hyaluronic acid-coated niosomes

Hyaluronic acid (HA) as a covering agent was incorporated into the ascorbic acid (AA)-niosomes to improve the performance of AA delivery systems into the skin. The preparation method: Thin film hydration. Characterisation tests: Field emission scanning electron microscopy, fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, UV-Visible, zeta potential, Franz diffusion cell, and flowcytometry. The niosomes with 10% w/w HA possessed the largest mean particle diameter of 341.0 ± 48.09 nm with PDI value of 0.29 ± 0.05, and the lowest zeta potential of -38.70 ± 0.27 mv. The drug encapsulation efficiency of this sample was 56.55 ± 0.99%, and in-vitro drug release test showed AA released in two slow and fast phases. Moreover, the highest amount of drug penetration and accumulation was related to this sample, recorded 116.55 ± 7.54 and 134.8 ± 10.04 µg/cm², respectively. Niosomes coated with 10% w/w HA showed the greatest potential for improving the antioxidant activity of AA penetration into the skin.

Diversifying the skin cancer-fighting worthwhile frontiers: How relevant are the itraconazole/ascorbyl palmitate nanovectors?

Fighting malignant neoplasms via repurposing existing drugs could be a welcome move for prosperous cancer remediations. In the current work, nanovehiculation and optimization of the repositioned itraconazole (ITZ) utilizing ascorbyl palmitate (AP) aspasomes would be an auspicious approach. Further, the optimized aspasomes were incorporated in a cream and tracked for skin deposition. The in vivo efficacy of aspasomal cream on mice subcutaneous Ehrlich carcinoma model was also assessed. The optimized aspasomes revealed nano size (67.83 ± 6.16 nm), negative charge (-79.40 ± 2.23 mV), > 95% ITZ entrapment and high colloidal stability. AP yielded substantial antioxidant capacity and pushed the ITZ cytotoxicity forward against A431 cells (IC₅₀ = 5.3±0.27 μg/mL). An appealing privilege was the aspasomal cream that corroborated spreadability, contemplated skin permeation and potentiated in vivo anticancer competence, reflected in 62.68% reduction in the tumor weight. Such synergistic tumor probes set the foundation for futuristic clinical translation and commercialization.

Targeting Colorectal Cancer Cells with Niosomes Systems Loaded with Two Anticancer Drugs Models; Comparative In Vitro and Anticancer Studies

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is considered one of the most commonly diagnosed malignant diseases. Recently, there has been an increased focus on using nanotechnology to resolve most of the limitations in conventional chemotherapy. Niosomes have great advantages that overcome the drawbacks associated with other lipid drug delivery systems. They are simple, cheap, and highly stable nanocarriers. This study investigated the effectiveness of using niosomes with their amphiphilic characteristics in the incorporation of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic anticancer drugs for CRC treatment. Methods: Drug-free niosomes were formulated using a response surface D-optimal factorial design to study the cholesterol molar ratio, surfactant molar ratio and surfactant type effect on the particle size and Z-potential of the prepared niosomes. After numerical and statistical optimization, an optimized formulation having a particle size of 194.4 ± 15.5 nm and a Z-potential of 31.8 ± 1.9 mV was selected to be loaded with Oxaliplatin and Paclitaxel separately in different concentrations. The formulations with the highest entrapment efficiency (EE%) were evaluated for their drug release using the dialysis bag method, in vitro antitumor activity on HT-29 colon cancer cell line and apoptosis activity. Results: Niosomes prepared using d-α-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS) at a molar ratio 4, cholesterol (2 molar ratio) and loaded with 1 molar ratio of either Oxaliplatin or Paclitaxel provided nanosized vesicles (278.5 ± 19.7 and 251.6 ± 18.1 nm) with a Z-potential value (32.7 ± 1.01 and 31.69 ± 0.98 mV) with the highest EE% (90.57 ± 2.05 and 93.51 ± 2.97) for Oxaliplatin and Paclitaxel, respectively. These formulations demonstrated up to 48 h drug release and increased the in vitro cytotoxicity and apoptosis efficiency of both drugs up to twice as much as free drugs. Conclusion: These findings suggest that different formulation composition parameters can be adjusted to obtain nanosized niosomal vesicles with an accepted Z-potential. These niosomes could be loaded with either hydrophilic drugs such as Oxaliplatin or hydrophobic drugs such as Paclitaxel. Drug-loaded niosomes, as a unique nanomicellar system, could enhance the cellular uptake of both drugs, resulting in enhanced cytotoxic and apoptosis effects against HT-29 colon cancer cells. Oxaliplatin–niosomes and Paclitaxel–niosomes can be considered promising alternative drug delivery systems with enhanced bioavailability of these two anticancer drugs for colorectal cancer treatment.

A state-of-the-art review on the recent advances of niosomes as a targeted drug delivery system

The buildup of nonionic surfactants in the aqueous environment produces niosomes. The usage of niosomes is becoming increasingly frequent due to their sustainability, low cost of components and assembly, large-scale manufacture, and, finally, easy maintenance of the niosomes to the other. Because of their nonionic characteristics, niosomes play a critical role in medication delivery systems. Controlled release and targeted distribution of niosomes to treat cancer, infectious illnesses, and other disorders are one of their most important properties. Niosomes can also be injected by ocular and transdermal routes, which are less common than oral and parenteral administration. Using niosomes to manufacture biotechnology goods and novel vaccines is one of the most exciting research fields today. The molecular structure of niosomes, the physicochemical characteristics of nonionic surfactants in their formulation, the influence of external stimuli on niosomes, the many methods of niosomes administration, and their diverse therapeutic qualities are all explored in this study.

Assessment of antifungal efficacy of itraconazole loaded aspasomal cream: comparative clinical study

Topical conveyance of antifungal agents like itraconazole ITZ has been giving good grounds for expecting felicitous antifungal medicines. The defiance of topical delivery of this poorly water soluble and high-molecular-weight drug, however, mightily entail an adequate vehiculation. ITZ aspasomes, newer antioxidant generation of liposomes, have been designed and enclosed in a cream to ameliorate skin deposition. The proposed creams containing non-formulated ITZ or encapsulated in aspasomes (0.1% or 0.5%) were topically applied in patients with diagnosed diaper dermatitis complicated by candidiasis, tinea corporis (TC), and tinea versicolor (TVC). Placebos (void aspasomal cream and cream base) were also utilized. The obtained results for diaper rash revealed that aspasomal cream (0.5% ITZ) was eminent with respect to complete cure and negative candida culture after 10-day therapy relative to counterparts containing 0.1% ITZ aspasomes or non-formulated ITZ (0.1% and 0.5%). For tinea, the same trend was manifested in terms of ‘cleared’ clinical response in 90% of patients and absence of fungal elements after 4-week treatment. Relative to non-formulated ITZ, ITZ aspasomal cream was endorsed to be auspicious especially when ITZ concentration was lowered to half commercially available cream concentration (1%), pushing further exploitation in other dermal fungal infections.

Recent Updates on Nanocosmeceutical Skin Care and Anti-Aging Products

Nanotechnology is an innovative area of science that deals with things smaller than 100 nanometers. The influence of nanotechnology in the cosmetic industry is overwhelming since it can enhance the properties attained by the particles at the nano level which includes color, solubility, etc, and also promotes the bioavailability of API. A plethora of nanomaterials can be employed in cosmetics including organic and inorganic nanoparticles. Unlike orthodox carriers, they facilitate easy penetration of the product into the skin and thereby increasing the stability and allowing a controlled drug release so that they can permeate deeper into the skin and start revitalizing it. Nanomaterials rejuvenate the skin by forming an occlusive barrier to inhibit the loss of water from the skin's surface and thereby moisturize the skin. Nano-cosmeceuticals are used to provide better protection against UV radiation, facilitate deeper skin penetration, and give long-lasting effects. Although they still have some safety concerns, hence detailed characterization or risk assessments are required to fulfill the standard safety requirements. In this review, an attempt is made to make a brief overview of various nanocosmeceutical skincare and anti-aging products.

Multidrug Idebenone/Naproxen co-loaded Aspasomes for a Significant In VivoAnti-Inflammatory Activity

The use of proper nanocarriers for dermal and transdermal delivery of anti‐inflammatory drugs recently gained several attentions in the scientific community because they pass intact and accumulate payloads in the deepest layers of skin tissue. Ascorbyl palmitate‐based vesicles (aspasomes) can be considered a promising nanocarrier for dermal and transdermal delivery due to their skin whitening properties and suitable delivery of payloads through the skin. The aim of this study was the synthesis of multidrug Idebenone/naproxen co‐loaded aspasomes for the development of an effective anti‐inflammatory nanomedicine. Aspasomes had suitable physicochemical properties and were safe in vivo if topically applied on human healthy volunteers. Idebenone/naproxen co‐loaded aspasomes demonstrated an increased therapeutic efficacy of payloads compared to the commercially available Naprosyn® gel, with a rapid decrease of chemical‐induced erythema on human volunteers. These promising results strongly suggested a potential application of Idebenone/naproxen multidrug aspasomes for the development of an effective skin anti‐inflammatory therapy.

Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate vesicular carriers for topical delivery; preparation, in-vitro and ex-vivo evaluation, factorial optimization and clinical assessment in melasma patients

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is an antioxidant that is widely used in cosmetics in skincare products. Due to the excessive low stability of ascorbic acid in cosmetic formulations, the stabilized ascorbic acid derivative, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP) was formulated as vesicular carriers; ethosomes and niosomes. The aim was to deliver MAP at the intended site of action, the skin, for sufficient time with enhanced permeation to get an effective response. Ethosomes were formulated using a full 3² factorial design to study ethanol and phospholipid concentration effect on ethosomes properties. Niosomes were formulated using 2³ factorial designs to study the effect of surfactant type, surfactant concentration and cholesterol concentration on niosomes properties. The prepared formulations were evaluated for their Entrapment efficiency, particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential and % drug permeated. The optimized ethosomal and niosomal formulations were incorporated into carbopol gel and evaluated for their permeation, skin retention and stability. A comparative split-face clinical study was done between the ethosomal and niosomal formulations for melasma treatment using Antera 3 D^® camera. The optimized ethosomal and niosomal gels showed comparable controlled permeation and higher skin retention over their ethosomes and niosomes formulations respectively. Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate ethosomal gel showed clinically and statistically significant melanin level decrease after one month while MAP niosomal gel showed clinically and statistically significant melanin level decrease after six months. A combination of MAP ethosomes and niosomes could be promising skincare formulations for melasma and hyperpigmentation short and long-term treatment.

Abdelgawad M, Ghoneim MM, Abdou EM. Assessment of Nasal-Brain-Targeting Efficiency of New Developed Mucoadhesive Emulsomes Encapsulating an Anti-Migraine Drug for Effective Treatment of One of the Major Psychiatric Disorders Symptoms

Migraine is one of the major symptoms of many psychiatric and mental disorders like depression and anxiety. Eletriptan Hydrobromide (EH) is a well-tolerated drug in migraine treatment, but suffers from low oral bioavailability and low brain targeting after oral delivery. New nasal mucoadhesive EH-emulsomes development could be a new means to direct the drug from the nose-to-brain to achieve rapid onset of action and high drug concentration in the brain for acute migraine treatment. Eletriptan mucoadhesive emulsomes formulations were prepared using thin-film hydration method and 2³ full factorial design was adopted to study different formulation factors’ effect on the emulsomes characters. The emulsomes were characterized for entrapment efficiency (EE%), zeta potential (ZP), particle size (PS), morphology, and ex-vivo permeation through the nasal mucosa. The selected formula was evaluated in mice for its in-vivo bio-distribution in comparison with EH intranasal and intravenous solutions. Drug targeting efficacy (DTE%) and nose-to-brain direct transport percentage (DTP%) were calculated. The optimization formulation showed a nanoparticle size of 177.01 nm, EE 79.44%, and ZP = 32.12 ± 3.28 mV. In addition, in-vitro permeability studies revealed enhanced drug permeability with suitable mean residence time up to 120 ± 13 min. EH-emulsomes were stable under different storage conditions for three months. In vivo examination and pharmacokinetic drug targeting parameters revealed EH transport to the CNS after EH nanoparticle nasal administration. Histopathology study showed no ciliotoxic effect on the nasal mucosa. From the results, it can be confirmed that the emulsomes formulation of EH proved safe direct nose-to-brain transport of EH after nasal administration of EH emulsomes.

Biomimetic pH/lipase dual responsive vitamin-based solid lipid nanoparticles for on-demand delivery of vancomycin

In this study, ascorbyl tocopherol succinate (ATS) was designed, synthesized and characterized via FT-IR, HR-MS, H¹ NMR and C¹³ NMR, to simultaneously confer biomimetic and dual responsive properties of an antibiotic nanosystem to enhance their antibacterial efficacy and reduce antimicrobial resistance. Therefore, an in silico-aided design (to mimic the natural substrate of bacterial lipase) was employed to demonstrate the binding potential of ATS to lipase (-32.93 kcal/mol binding free energy (ΔG_bind) and bacterial efflux pumps blocking potential (NorA ΔG_bind: -37.10 kcal/mol, NorB ΔG_bind: -34.46 kcal/mol). ATS bound stronger to lipase than the natural substrate (35 times lower Kd value). The vancomycin loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (VM-ATS-SLN) had a hydrodynamic diameter, zeta potential, polydispersity index and entrapment efficiency of 106.9 ± 1.4 nm, -16.5 ± 0.93 mV, 0.11 ± 0.012 and 61.9 ± 1.31%, respectively. In vitro biocompatibility studies revealed VM-ATS-SLN biosafety and non-haemolytic activity. Significant enhancement in VM release was achieved in response to acidified pH and lipase enzyme, compared to controls. VM-ATS-SLN showed enhanced sustained in vitro antibacterial activity for 5 days, 2-fold greater MRSA biofilm growth inhibition and 3.44-fold reduction in bacterial burden in skin infected mice model compared to bare VM. Therefore, ATS shows potential as a novel multifunctional adjuvant for effective and targeted delivery of antibiotics.

The emerging role of nanotechnology in skincare

The role of cosmetic products is rapidly evolving in our society, with their use increasingly seen as an essential contribution to personal wellness. This suggests the necessity of a detailed elucidation of the use of nanoparticles (NPs) in cosmetics. The aim of the present work is to offer a critical and comprehensive review discussing the impact of exploiting nanomaterials in advanced cosmetic formulations, emphasizing the beneficial effects of their extensive use in next-generation products despite a persisting prejudice around the application of nanotechnology in cosmetics. The discussion here includes an interpretation of the data underlying generic information reported on the product labels of formulations already available in the marketplace, information that often lacks details identifying specific components of the product, especially when nanomaterials are employed. The emphasis of this review is mainly focused on skincare because it is believed to be the cosmetics market sector in which the impact of nanotechnology is being seen most significantly. To date, nanotechnology has been demonstrated to improve the performance of cosmetics in a number of different ways: 1) increasing both the entrapment efficiency and dermal penetration of the active ingredient, 2) controlling drug release, 3) enhancing physical stability, 4) improving moisturizing power, and 5) providing better UV protection. Specific attention is paid to the effect of nanoparticles contained in semisolid formulations on skin penetration issues. In light of the emerging concerns about nanoparticle toxicity, an entire section has been devoted to listing detailed examples of nanocosmetic products for which safety has been investigated.

Recent Advances in Nanomaterials for Dermal and Transdermal Applications

The stratum corneum, the most superficial layer of the skin, protects the body against environmental hazards and presents a highly selective barrier for the passage of drugs and cosmetic products deeper into the skin and across the skin. Nanomaterials can effectively increase the permeation of active molecules across the stratum corneum and enable their penetration into deeper skin layers, often by interacting with the skin and creating the distinct sites with elevated local concentration, acting as reservoirs. The flux of the molecules from these reservoirs can be either limited to the underlying skin layers (for topical drug and cosmeceutical delivery) or extended across all the sublayers of the epidermis to the blood vessels of the dermis (for transdermal delivery). The type of the nanocarrier and the physicochemical nature of the active substance are among the factors that determine the final skin permeation pattern and the stability of the penetrant in the cutaneous environment. The most widely employed types of nanomaterials for dermal and transdermal applications include solid lipid nanoparticles, nanovesicular carriers, microemulsions, nanoemulsions, and polymeric nanoparticles. The recent advances in the area of nanomaterial-assisted dermal and transdermal delivery are highlighted in this review.

Effect of magnesium ascorbyl phosphate on collagen stabilization for wound healing application

Wound healing is a complex process which requires appropriate structural support for restoration of tissue continuity and function. Collagen can act as a template for cellular activities but poor physico-chemical properties necessitates the stabilization of collagen without impairing its structure and function. This study investigates the effect of magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP) on collagen with reference to physico-chemical properties. Incorporation of MAP enhanced the rate of collagen fibrillation signifying increased interaction at reduced time interval. MAP did not induce any changes in the secondary structure of collagen while there was an increase in shear viscosity with increase in shear stress at different shear rate. MAP stabilized collagen film exhibited higher denaturation temperature and showed an increase in Young's Modulus when compared with that of collagen film. In vivo studies showed complete wound closure on day 16 in case of stabilized collagen film. Mechanical properties of healed skin revealed that MAP collagen film treated rat skin completely regained its properties similar to that of normal skin thereby making them a potential candidate for wound healing application.

Effective lightening of facial melasma during the summer with a dual regimen: A prospective, open-label, evaluator-blinded study

BACKGROUND

Melasma is a chronic pigmentary condition that can have significant negative effects on quality of life. Vitamin C can be effective in the treatment melasma, but its delivery often proves to be challenging due to instability of the drug and subsequent cutaneous irritation at higher concentrations.

AIM

In this prospective, open-label, evaluator-blinded study, we aimed to assess the efficacy and tolerability of twice-daily application of a novel, highly potent, non-irritating 30% tetrahexyldecyl (THD) ascorbate serum in combination with 100% mineral-based sunscreen in the treatment of melasma during the summer months.

PATIENTS/METHODS

Ten female subjects of ages ranging from 18 to 60 years underwent twice-daily application of 30% THD ascorbate serum in combination with an anti-aging 100% mineral tinted broad-spectrum protection SPF 45 sunscreen moisturizer for 12 weeks during the summer months (July to September). Two blinded evaluators scored baseline and post-treatment photographs using the Griffiths' 10-point scale and global aesthetic improvement scale.

RESULTS

All subjects showed an improvement in hyperpigmentation with an average improvement of 33.7%. Seventy percent of subjects showed an improvement in skin tone evenness (redness), and among those subjects, the average improvement was 33.3%. The median global aesthetic improvement score was 2.0 (very much improved).

CONCLUSION

Our study demonstrated efficacy and safety in treating the pigmentary as well as vascular components of melasma with a novel 30% THD ascorbate serum and a purely mineral-based tinted moisturizing sunscreen.

Treatment of melasma: a review of less commonly used antioxidants

Melasma, a common cause for seeking dermatologic care, is a chronic condition of skin hyperpigmentation. With a poorly understood pathogenesis, and no universal cure, melasma is a challenge for many dermatologists. For decades, there has been investigation into the role of oxidative stress in melasma. In this literature review, we introduce the role of oxidative stress in melasma and discuss the function of various topical and oral antioxidant therapies for patients suffering from melasma. Numerous studies have shown efficacy of various antioxidant therapies for treatment of hyperpigmentation, and in this review, we focus primarily on those with less widespread use. Vitamin E, niacinamide, polypodium leucotomos, pycnogenol, grape seed extract, amino fruit acids, phytic acid, zinc, silymarin, Korean red ginseng powder, plant extracts, and parsley all have well-demonstrated evidence of antioxidant properties, and these substances have been studied in the context of skin hyperpigmentation. Although there is conflicting evidence of their therapeutic efficacy, the use of these naturally occurring substances is promising for patients and medical providers seeking alternative therapeutic options.

The Why, Where, Who, How, and What of the vesicular delivery systems

Though vesicular delivery systems have been widely explored and reviewed, no comprehensive review exists that covers their development from the inception of the concept to its culmination in the form of regulated marketed formulations. With the advancement of scientific research in the field of nanomedicine, certain category of vesicular delivery systems have successfully reached the global market. Despite extensive research and highly encouraging results in a plethora of pathological conditions in the preclinical studies, translation of these nanomedicines from laboratory to market has been very limited. Aim of this review is to describe comprehensively the various colloidal delivery systems, focusing mainly on their conventional and advanced methods of preparation, different characterization techniques and main success stories of their journey from bench to bedside of the patient. The review also touches the finer nuances of the use of modern formulation approach of DoE (Design of Experiments) in their formulation and the status of regulatory guidelines for the approval of these nanomedicines.