Coexistence effect of UVA absorbers to increase their solubility and stability of supersaturation

OBJECTIVE

Sunscreens containing UVA absorbers in high concentrations are expected to be developed, since recent studies have suggested the possibility of involvement of UVA ray in skin cancer and early skin aging. Solubility and stability of supersaturation of UVA absorbers in UVB absorber were determined in the absence and the presence of cosmetic oil. Coexistence effect of UVA absorbers was analyzed to dissolve them in high concentrations.

METHODS

Two UVA absorbers, diethylamino hydroxybenzoyl hexyl benzoate (DHHB) and butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane (BMDM), a UVB absorber, 2-ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC), and a cosmetic oil, 2-ethylhexyl ester of oligomer of hydroxystearic acid (EH-O-HSA), were used. Their solutions were prepared at 80°C and cooled to 5°C. The solid DHHB and/or BMDM were added to it, and the time evolution of concentrations of the UVA absorbers in the solution phase was monitored.

RESULTS

At the saturation in the absence of EH-O-HSA at 5°C, weight ratio of DHHB and BMDM to EHMC was 0.39/1.00 and 0.22/1.00, respectively. Addition of EH-O-HSA slightly changed the solubility of DHHB and BMDM. When the weight ratio of EH-O-HSA to EHMC was 0.20/1.00, weight ratio of DHHB and BMDM to EHMC was 0.35/1.00 and 0.25/1.00, respectively at the saturation at 5°C. In the presence of EH-O-HSA, a strong coexistence effect of DHHB and BMDM was found on their solubility. A thermodynamically stable saturated solution at 5°C having the composition that DHHB: BMDM: EHMC: EH-O-HSA = 0.47: 0.46: 1.00: 0.20 was obtained by the simultaneous addition of solid DHHB and BMDM into the initial solution.

CONCLUSION

The solution type composite having the highest concentrations of DHHB and BMDM prepared in this study exhibited critical wavelength at 368 nm that was just below the border for sunscreens being qualified as 'Broad Spectrum' protection under the new rule launched by US FDA.

Moleculary imprinted polymers with metalloporphyrin-based molecular recognition sites coassembled with methacrylic acid

A diastereoselective molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for (-)-cinchonidine, PPM(CD), was prepared by the combined use of methacrylic acid and vinyl-substituted zinc(II) porphyrin as functional monomers. Compared to MIPs using only methacrylic acid or zinc porphyrin as a functional monomer, PM(CD) and PP(CD), respectively, PPM(CD) showed higher binding ability for (-)-cinchonidine in chromatographic tests using the MIP-packed columns. Scatchard analysis gave a higher association constant of PPM(CD) for (-)-cinchonidine (1.14 x 10(7) M(-1)) than those of PP(CD) (1.45 x 10(6) M(-1)) and PM(CD) (6.78 x 10(6) M(-1)). The affinity distribution of binding sites estimated by affinity spectrum analysis showed a higher percentage of high-affinity sites and a lower percentage of low-affinity sites in PPM(CD). The MIPs containing a zinc(II) porphyrin in the binding sites, PPM(CD) and PP(CD), showed fluorescence quenching according to the binding of (-)-cinchonidine, and the quenching was significant in the low-concentration range, suggesting that the high-affinity binding sites contain the porphyrin residue. The correlation of the relative fluorescence intensity against log of (-)-cinchonidine concentrations showed a linear relationship. These results revealed that the MIP having highly specific binding sites was assembled by the two functional monomers, vinyl-substituted zinc(II) porphyrin and methacrylic acid, and they cooperatively worked to yield the specific binding. In addition, the zinc(II) porphyrin-based MIPs appeared to act as fluorescence sensor selectively responded by binding events of the template molecule.

Synthesis of 5-fluorouracil-imprinted polymers with multiple hydrogen bonding interactions

The antitumor active compound 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) was used as a target molecule and 5-FU-imprinted polymers were synthesized using 2,6-bis(acrylamido)pyridine and/or 2-(trifluoromethyl)acrylic acid as functional monomers. The 5-FU-imprinted polymers showed a higher affinity for 5-FU than that for 5-FU derivatives. By using both functional monomers simultaneously, the affinity and separation for 5-FU were improved.