Search Results (5)

In the field of preparing cosmetic formulations, recent advances recommend the usage of excipients derived from biocompatible materials. In this context, the present study aimed to prepare and characterize the curcumin-loaded Pickering emulsion for possible applications in cosmetic formulation. The coconut oil which is often the component of skin care formulations is used as the oily phase. Curcumin, which is well known for absorbing solar radiation, is expected to work synergistically with coconut oil towards improving the sun protection factor (SPF) of the formulation. Additionally, curcumin can also protect the intracellular components through its well-known antioxidant mechanisms. The Pickering emulsion of coconut oil into water was prepared using the composite colloidal particles derived from β-carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) and Gelatin-A (GA) as the emulsifying agent. The reaction conditions in terms of the weight ratios of CMC and GA, the pH of the reaction medium, the oil volume fraction, and the homogenization speed were optimized to obtain the most stable Pickering emulsion. The obtained systems were physico-chemically characterized by dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, optical microscopy, and rheometric measurements. The final CMC-GA-stabilized emulsion demonstrated an oil droplet size of 100 µm and a SPF_{spectrophotometric (290–320 nm)} value of 8.5 at a curcumin loading of 4 mg/mL. Additionally, the final formulation facilitated the uptake of curcumin into fibroblast (WI26) cells under in vitro conditions. Together, the investigation demonstrates a bio-inspired approach to prepare a curcumin-loaded green Pickering emulsion using biocompatible pharmaceutical grade excipients, which may find utility in cosmetic applications. Full article

Pickering emulsions (PEs) have attracted attention in different fields, such as food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, mainly due to their good physical stability. PEs are a promising strategy to develop functional products since the particles’ oil and water phases can act as carriers of active compounds, providing multiple combinations potentiating synergistic effects. Moreover, they can answer the sustainable and green chemistry issues arising from using conventional emulsifier-based systems. In this context, this review focuses on the applicability of safe inorganic solid particles as emulsion stabilisers, discussing the main stabilisation mechanisms of oil–water interfaces. In particular, it provides evidence for hydroxyapatite (HAp) particles as Pickering stabilisers, discussing the latest advances. The main technologies used to produce PEs are also presented. From an industrial perspective, an effort was made to list new productive technologies at the laboratory scale and discuss their feasibility for scale-up. Finally, the advantages and potential applications of PEs in the food industry are also described. Overall, this review gathers recent developments in the formulation, production and properties of food-grade PEs based on safe inorganic solid particles. Full article

In 2016, the safety issues of humidifier disinfectants and some other safety incidents in personal cares caused chemical phobia syndrome in the Korean society. This series of events has created a trend for cosmetic consumers to undermine brand confidence and to self-check the safety of commercial cosmetic formulations through mobile apps. The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of trust in domain specific information on the safety rating of cosmetic ingredients on the perceived value and the purchase intention of the cosmetics. The results of structural equation modeling showed that involvement of skin safety (ISS) had a positive effect on trust in domain specific information on safety (TDSI) and brand loyalty (BL). TDSI showed a positive effect on the perceived safety value (PFV) and the perceived social value (PSV), and BL had a positive effect on the PSV. ISS, TDSI, and PSV had a positive effect on the purchase intention (PI) of green-grade cosmetics (GGC). As hypothesized, BL had an adverse effect on PI of GGC. Given the results, utilizing the signal of the domain specific information may be recommended to new entrants to the cosmetic business or manufacturers with relatively weak brand power. Full article

The zero-waste biorefinery concept inspired a green oleo-extraction of both natural volatile (e.g., borneol, camphor, o-cymene, eucalyptol, limonene, α-pinene, and terpinen-4-ol) and non-volatile (e.g., carnosol, carnosic, and rosmarinic acid) bioactive compounds from rosemary leaves with vegetable oils and their amphiphilic derivatives as simple food-grade solvents. It is noteworthy that soybean oil could obtain the highest total phenolic compounds (TPCs) among 12 refined oils including grapeseed, rapeseed, peanut, sunflower, olive, avocado, almond, apricot, corn, wheat germ, and hazelnut oils. Furthermore, the addition of oil derivatives to soybean oils, such as glyceryl monooleate (GMO), glyceryl monostearate (GMS), diglycerides, and soy lecithin in particular, could not only significantly enhance the oleo-extraction of non-volatile antioxidants by 66.7% approximately, but also help to remarkably improve the solvation of volatile aroma compounds (VACs) by 16% in refined soybean oils. These experimental results were in good consistency with their relative solubilities predicted by the more sophisticated COSMO-RS (COnductor like Screening MOdel for Real Solvents) simulation. This simple procedure of using vegetable oils and their derivatives as bio-based solvents for simultaneously improving the extraction yield of natural antioxidants and flavors from rosemary showed its great potential in up-scaling with the integration of green techniques (ultrasound, microwave, etc.) for zero-waste biorefinery from biomass waste to high value-added extracts in future functional food and cosmetic applications. Full article

In recent years, the key role of oxidative stress in pathogenesis of oral diseases has been emphasized and the use of antioxidant agents has been encouraged. Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA) is a unicellular blue-green alga with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was the formulation and characterization of mucoadhesive thin layer films loaded with AFA, finalized to the treatment of oxidative stress (OS)-related oral diseases. First, to enhance the bioavailability of AFA constituents, the raw food grade material was appropriately treated by a high frequency homogenization able to disrupt cell walls. Thus, Eudragit^® E100-based buccal films were produced by the solvent casting method, containing 7% and 18% of AFA. The films, characterized by uniformity in thickness, weight, and drug content, showed low swelling degree, good muco-adhesiveness and controlled drug release. The mechanical tests showed elastic moduli of films of almost 5 MPa that is well-suitable for human buccal applications without discomfort, besides biaxial tests highlighted a marked material isotropy. Permeation studies through porcine mucosae demonstrated the ability of films to promote AFA penetration in the tissues, and when sublingually administered, they produced a drug flux up to six-fold higher than an AFA solution. The new formulations represent an interesting alternative for the development of cosmetics and nutraceuticals with a functional appeal containing plant extracts. Full article