Final report on the safety assessment of sorbitan caprylate, sorbitan cocoate, sorbitan diisostearate, sorbitan dioleate, sorbitan distearate, sorbitan isostearate, sorbitan olivate, sorbitan sesquiisostearate, sorbitan sesquistearate, and sorbitan triisostearate

Green Surfactants (Biosurfactants): A Petroleum-Free Substitute for Sustainability-Comparison, Applications, Market, and Future Prospects

Surfactants are a group of amphiphilic molecules (i.e., having both hydrophobic and hydrophilic domains) that are a vital part of nearly every contemporary industrial process such as in agriculture, medicine, personal care, food, and petroleum. In general surfactants can be derived from (i) petroleum-based sources or (ii) microbial/plant origins. Petroleum-based surfactants are obvious results from petroleum products, which lead to petroleum pollution and thus pose severe problems to the environment leading to various ecological damages. Thus, newer techniques have been suggested for deriving surfactant molecules and maintaining environmental sustainability. Biosurfactants are surfactants of microbial or plant origins and offer much added advantages such as high biodegradability, lesser toxicity, ease of raw material availability, and easy applicability. Thus, they are also termed "green surfactants". In this regard, this review focused on the advantages of biosurfactants over the synthetic surfactants produced from petroleum-based products along with their potential applications in different industries. We also provided their market aspects and future directions that can be considered with selections of biosurfactants. This would open up new avenues for surfactant research by overcoming the existing bottlenecks in this field.

Preformulation and characterization of raloxifene-loaded lipid nanoparticles for transdermal administration

Transdermal administration of raloxifene hydrochloride (RLX)-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) has been proposed to circumvent its low oral bioavailability (2%). Preformulation studies were carried out to evaluate drug-excipient compatibility of various adjuvants commonly used for NLC preparation (waxes, cholesterol, compritol, gelucire, span 60, span 80, span 85, tween 80, poloxamer 188, oleic acid, caprylic/capric triglyceride, and castor oil). It was used differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), isothermal stress testing (IST), and solubility studies. The most promising excipients were chosen for NLC obtention, and full characterization was done, including in vitro skin permeation. DSC curves suggested drug-excipient interaction among some compounds, and the IST study showed incompatibility of RLX with waxes, compritol, cholesterol, span 60, and poloxamer 188. Solubility studies helped select gelucire, caprylic/capric triglyceride, span 80, and tween 80 for NLC production. Twelve NLCs were obtained (NLC1 to NLC12), but NLC7 and NLC8 were the most promising ones. In vitro release studies demonstrated that NLC7 and NLC8 were able to control RLX release (14.74 and 9.07% at 24 h, respectively) compared with the unloaded drug (> 90% at 24 h). Unloaded RLX did not permeate the diffusion cells' receptor medium and showed higher drug skin retention (11-fold) than RLX-loaded NLC. NLC reduced RLX skin retention, favoring drug permeation to deeper skin layers. NLC7 increased drug flux is 2.4-fold. NLC7 is a promising formulation for RLX transdermal drug delivery.

Chemocatalytic value addition of glucose without carbon-carbon bond cleavage/formation reactions: an overview

As the monomeric unit of the abundant biopolymer cellulose, glucose is considered a sustainable feedstock for producing carbon-based transportation fuels, chemicals, and polymers. The chemocatalytic value addition of glucose can be broadly classified into those involving C-C bond cleavage/formation reactions and those without. The C6 products obtained from glucose are particularly satisfying because their syntheses enjoy a 100% carbon economy. Although multiple derivatives of glucose retaining all six carbon atoms in their moiety are well-documented, they are somewhat dispersed in the literature and never delineated coherently from the perspective of their carbon skeleton. The glucose-derived chemical intermediates discussed in this review include polyols like sorbitol and sorbitan, diols like isosorbide, furanic compounds like 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural, and carboxylic acids like gluconic acid. Recent advances in producing the intermediates mentioned above from glucose following chemocatalytic routes have been elaborated, and their derivative chemistry highlighted. This review aims to comprehensively understand the prospects and challenges associated with the catalytic synthesis of C6 molecules from glucose.

Men's Facial Moisturizers in the Metrosexual Era

BACKGROUND

Manufacturers are increasingly branding personal care products (PCPs) specifically for men.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to characterize ingredients and claims of facial moisturizers marketed to men.

METHODS

Men's facial moisturizers from 7 different online retailers were identified in June-September 2018. Ingredients were grouped and identified per the Ingredient Database of the Personal Care Products Council. Potential allergens were identified using the 2017 American Contact Dermatitis Society (ACDS) Core Allergen Series and 2017-2018 North American Contact Dermatitis Group Screening Series.

RESULTS

Sixty-five men's facial moisturizers were identified with a total of 1930 ingredients. On average, there were 12 ACDS Core and 9 North American Contact Dermatitis Group Screening allergens per product. A total of 70.8% of products contained between 6 and 15 ACDS Core allergens. The most notable allergens were fragrances (present in 98.5% of products), propylene glycol/derivatives (32.3%), parabens (29.2%), and alkyl glucosides (26.2%). Interestingly, less than 10% of products contained the most common allergenic preservatives in PCPs: formaldehyde releasers and methylisothiazolinone.

CONCLUSIONS

Men's facial moisturizers commonly contain fragrances, emulsifiers, and glucosides but relatively few allergenic preservatives. This may reflect changes in modern PCP preservation. These findings are important for modern dermatologists to be aware, especially in a new era of male skincare.

Liposomal Formulations for an Efficient Encapsulation of Epigallocatechin-3-gallate: An in- Silico/Experimental Approach

As a part of research project aimed to optimize antioxidant delivery, here we studied the influence of both salts and lipid matrix composition on the interaction of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) with bilayer leaflets. Thus, we combined in silico and experimental methods to study the ability of neutral and anionic vesicles to encapsulate EGCG in the presence of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ divalent salts. Experimental and in silico results show a very high correlation, thus confirming the efficiency of the developed methodology. In particular, we found out that the presence of calcium ions hinders the insertion of EGCG in the liposome bilayer in both neutral and anionic systems. On the contrary, the presence of MgCl₂ improves the insertion degree of EGCG molecules respect to the liposomes without divalent salts. The best and most efficient salt concentration is that corresponding to a 5:1 molar ratio between Mg²⁺ and EGCG, in both neutral and anionic vesicles. Concerning the lipid matrix composition, the anionic one results in better promotion of the catechin insertion within the bilayer since experimentally we achieved 100% EGCG encapsulation in the lipid carrier in the presence of a 5:1 molar ratio of magnesium. Thus, the combination of this anionic liposomal formulation with magnesium chloride, avoids time-consuming separation steps of unentrapped active principle and appears particularly suitable for EGCG delivery applications.

Safety Evaluation of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) Compounds for Cosmetic Use

Polyethylene glycols (PEGs) are products of condensed ethylene oxide and water that can have various derivatives and functions. Since many PEG types are hydrophilic, they are favorably used as penetration enhancers, especially in topical dermatological preparations. PEGs, together with their typically nonionic derivatives, are broadly utilized in cosmetic products as surfactants, emulsifiers, cleansing agents, humectants, and skin conditioners. The compounds studied in this review include PEG/PPG-17/6 copolymer, PEG-20 glyceryl triisostearate, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, and PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil. Overall, much of the data available in this review are on PEGylated oils (PEG-40 and PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oils), which were recommended as safe for use in cosmetics up to 100% concentration. Currently, PEG-20 glyceryl triisostearate and PEGylated oils are considered safe for cosmetic use according to the results of relevant studies. Additionally, PEG/PPG-17/6 copolymer should be further studied to ensure its safety as a cosmetic ingredient.