Skin Care Formulations and Lipid Carriers as Skin Moisturizing Agents

Advances in microscopy characterization techniques for lipid nanocarriers in drug delivery: a comprehensive review

This review paper provides an in-depth analysis of the significance of lipid nanocarriers in drug delivery and the crucial role of characterization techniques. It explores various types of lipid nanocarriers and their applications, emphasizing the importance of microscopy-based characterization methods such as light microscopy, confocal microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The paper also delves into sample preparation, quantitative analysis, challenges, and future directions in the field. The review concludes by underlining the pivotal role of microscopy-based characterization in advancing lipid nanocarrier research and drug delivery technologies.

Oleogels for the Promotion of Healthy Skin Care Products: Synthesis and Characterization of Allantoin Containing Moringa-based Oleogel

BACKGROUND

Oleogelation is an efficient and emerging approach for obtaining biocompatible and biodegradable elastic semisolid crystals to be used in various cosmetic and pharmaceutical formulations. Recently, drug incorporation in oil structuring has been a promising strategy under consideration due to the effectiveness of this method. Plant oils have very beneficial characteristics for skin care and wound healing due to the presence of certain antioxidants.

METHODS

In this study, the oleogels of Moringa oleifera seed oil with natural polysaccharides, including pectin, chitosan, and xanthan gum, were prepared using the emulsion template method. Moringa oil was selected because it can hydrate and moisturize the skin and has great antioxidant activity. Also, the natural polysaccharides, i.e., pectin and chitosan, exhibited good gelling properties. Allantoin, which is a wound healer and eucalyptus leaf oil with antioxidant potential, was incorporated into the emulsion-based-oleogels to enhance the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of the oleogels.

RESULTS

Allantoin and eucalyptus-loaded oleogels exhibited good antibacterial activity against E. coli. The FTIR spectra of moringa-based oleogels in the range between 3226-3422 cm-1 indicate the presence of hydrogen bonding in oleogels.

CONCLUSION

The antioxidant potential of allantoin and eucalyptus-containing oleogel was maximized, and an IC50 value of 0.9719 μM was found. Maximum release of allantoin from oleogel was observed in the first hour.

Photolyase Production and Current Applications: A Review

The photolyase family consists of flavoproteins with enzyme activity able to repair ultraviolet light radiation damage by photoreactivation. DNA damage by the formation of a cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) and a pyrimidine-pyrimidone (6-4) photoproduct can lead to multiple affections such as cellular apoptosis and mutagenesis that can evolve into skin cancer. The development of integrated applications to prevent the negative effects of prolonged sunlight exposure, usually during outdoor activities, is imperative. This study presents the functions, characteristics, and types of photolyases, their therapeutic and cosmetic applications, and additionally explores some photolyase-producing microorganisms and drug delivery systems.

Advances and future perspectives in epithelial drug delivery

Epithelial surfaces protect exposed tissues in the body against intrusion of foreign materials, including xenobiotics, pollen and microbiota. The relative permeability of the various epithelia reflects their extent of exposure to the external environment and is in the ranking: intestinal≈ nasal ≥ bronchial ≥ tracheal > vaginal ≥ rectal > blood-perilymph barrier (otic), corneal > buccal > skin. Each epithelium also varies in their morphology, biochemistry, physiology, immunology and external fluid in line with their function. Each epithelium is also used as drug delivery sites to treat local conditions and, in some cases, for systemic delivery. The associated delivery systems have had to evolve to enable the delivery of larger drugs and biologicals, such as peptides, proteins, antibodies and biologicals and now include a range of physical, chemical, electrical, light, sound and other enhancement technologies. In addition, the quality-by-design approach to product regulation and the growth of generic products have also fostered advancement in epithelial drug delivery systems.

Contribution of Nanoscience Research in Antioxidants Delivery Used in Nutricosmetic Sector

Nanoscience applications in the food and cosmetic industry offer many potential benefits for consumers and society. Nanotechnologies permit the manipulation of matter at the nanoscale level, resulting in new properties and characteristics useful in food and cosmetic production, processing, packaging, and storage. Nanotechnology protects sensitive bioactive compounds, improves their bioavailability and water solubility, guarantees their release at a site of action, avoids contact with other constituents, and masks unpleasant taste. Biopolymeric nanoparticles, nanofibers, nanoemulsions, nanocapsules, and colloids are delivery systems used to produce food supplements and cosmetics. There are no barriers to nanoscience applications in food supplements and cosmetic industries, although the toxicity of nano-sized delivery systems is not clear. The physicochemical and toxicological characterization of nanoscale delivery systems used by the nutricosmeceutic industry is reviewed in this work.

Anti-Aging Effects of a Serum Based on Coconut Oil Combined with Deer Antler Stem Cell Extract on a Mouse Model of Skin Aging

Anti-aging is one of the top goals in the field of health care and aesthetics. Anti-aging cosmetics derived from nature are oriented to long-term development, bringing safety to users and being environmentally friendly. The aim of this study was to develop an anti-aging cosmetic formulation process based on coconut oil in combination with deer antler stem cell extract. The results show that the presence of deer antler stem cell extract added to the foundation made the serum product highly stable and helped improve skin aging significantly after 2 weeks of use. The skin site where the serum product was applied showed a smooth and elastic skin surface, with very few fine lines and shallow wrinkles. Serum reduced the number of wrinkles (48.09% compared to commercial serum (ME) and 60.31% compared to positive control (PC)), reduced skin recovery time (39.31% compared to ME and 67.1% of PC) after two weeks of use. After 2 weeks of use, collagen density increased 10.18% compared to ME and 63.76% compared to control. Epidermal thickness increased by 106.1% compared to PC and 121.7% compared to ME.

Food Loss and Food Waste for Green Cosmetics and Medical Devices for a Cleaner Planet

To stay wealthy in a world where all can live in prosperity and wellbeing, it is necessary to develop sustainable growth at net zero emissions to stop climate change, neutralizing both risks and diseases such as the COVID-19 pandemic and inequalities. Changing the worldwide use of the great quantity of food loss and waste can help to move in this direction. At this purpose, it seems useful to transform food waste into richness, extracting and using its content in natural ingredients and biopolymers to make new sustainable products and goods, including cosmetics and medical devices. Many of these ingredients are not only bioactive molecules considered of interest to produce these consumer products but are also useful in reducing the environmental footprint. The active agents may be obtained, for example, from waste material such as grapes or olive pomace, which include, among others natural polymers, phythosterols, vitamins, minerals and unsaturated fatty acids. Among the polymers, chitin and lignin have shown particular interest because biodegradable, nontoxic, skin- and environmentally friendly ingredients can be obtained at low cost from food and forestry waste, respectively. According to our experience, these polymers may be used to make nanocomposites and micro-nanoparticles that encapsulate different active ingredients, and which may be embedded into gel and non-woven tissues to realize advanced medications and smart cosmeceuticals. However, to utilize food waste in the best possible way, a better education of both industry and the consumer is considered necessary, introducing all to change the ways of production and living. The consumer has to understand the need to privilege, food, cosmetics and goods by selecting products known to be effective that also have a low release of carbon dioxide. Thus, they must pay heed to purchasing cosmetics and medical devices made by natural ingredients and packaged by biodegradable and/or reusable containers that are possibly plastic free. Conversely, the industry must try to use natural raw materials obtained from waste by changing their actual production methods. Therefore, both industry and the consumer should depart from the linear economy, which is based on taking, making, and producing waste, to move into a circular economy, which is based on redesigning, reducing, reusing and recycling. Some examples will report on the possibility to use natural polymers, including chitin and lignin, to produce new cosmeceutical tissues. These innovative tissues, to be used as biodegradable carriers for making smart cosmetics and medical devices, may be produced at zero waste to save our health and the planet biodiversity.