An eco-friendly and green formulation in lipid nanotechnology for delivery of a hydrophilic agent to the skin in the treatment and management of hyperpigmentation complaints: Arbutin niosome (Arbusome)

Different therapeutic approaches in melasma: advances and limitations

Melasma is a chronic hyperpigmentation skin disorder that is more common in the female gender. Although melasma is a multifactorial skin disorder, however, sun-exposure and genetic predisposition are considered as the main etiologic factors in melasma occurrence. Although numerous topical and systemic therapeutic agents and also non-pharmacologic procedural treatments have been considered in melasma management, however, the commonly available therapeutic options have several limitations including the lack of sufficient clinical effectiveness, risk of relapse, and high rate of unwanted adverse drug reactions. Recruitment of nanotechnology for topical drug delivery in melasma management can lead to enhanced skin penetration, targeted drug delivery to the site of action, longer deposition at the targeted area, and limit systemic absorption and therefore systemic availability and adverse drug reactions. In the current review, first of all, the etiology, pathophysiology, and severity classification of melasma have been considered. Then, various pharmacologic and procedural therapeutic options in melasma treatment have been discussed. Afterward, the usage of various types of nanoparticles for the purpose of topical drug delivery for melasma management was considered. In the end, numerous clinical studies and controlled clinical trials on the assessment of the effectiveness of these novel topical formulations in melasma management are summarized.

Green Formulation of Spironolactone Loaded Chitosan-Coated Nano Lipid Carrier for Treatment of Acne Vulgaris: A Randomized Double-Blind Clinical Trial

Purpose

Spironolactone (SPN), which is classified as an anti-androgen, has demonstrated efficacy in treating acne. This study aimed to utilize ultrasonication to create a chitosan-coated nano lipid carrier (NLC) for enhancing the delivery of SPN to the skin and treating acne.

Methods

Various hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) values were investigated to optimize the SPN-NLCs. Photon correlation spectroscopy, attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were employed to characterize the solid state of SPN in nanoparticle form. Additionally, the optimized formulation was used in a double-blind, randomized clinical trial.

Results

Reducing the HLB of the surfactant mixtures resulted in a reduction in the size of SPNNLCs. The formula with the smallest particle diameter (238.4±0.74 nm) and the lowest HLB value (9.65) exhibited the highest encapsulation efficiency (EE) of 79.88±1.807%. Coating the optimized SPN-NLC with chitosan increased the diameter, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential (ZP), and EE. In vitro skin absorption studies demonstrated sustained release profiles for chitosan-coated SPN-NLC. In the double-blind trial, a gel containing chitosan-coated SPN-NLC effectively treated mild to moderate acne vulgaris, leading to improved healing and reduced lesion count after 8 weeks of therapy compared to the placebo. It successfully addressed both non-inflammatory and inflammatory lesions without adverse effects on the skin.

Conclusion

The findings indicate that chitosan-coated SPN-NLCs have the potential as nanoparticles for targeted SPN delivery to the skin, offering novel options for the treatment of acne vulgaris.

Niosomes: Composition, Formulation Techniques, and Recent Progress as Delivery Systems in Cancer Therapy

Niosomes are vesicular nanocarriers, biodegradable, relatively non-toxic, stable, and inexpensive, that provide an alternative for lipid-solid carriers (e.g., liposomes). Niosomes may resolve issues related to the instability, fast degradation, bioavailability, and insolubility of different drugs or natural compounds. Niosomes can be very efficient potential systems for the specific delivery of anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antibacterial molecules. This review aims to present an overview of their composition, the most common formulation techniques, as well as of recent utilizations as delivery systems in cancer therapy.

Span 60/Cholesterol Niosomal Formulation as a Suitable Vehicle for Gallic Acid Delivery with Potent In Vitro Antibacterial, Antimelanoma, and Anti-Tyrosinase Activity

Natural compounds such as gallic acid (GA) have attracted more attention in cosmetic and pharmaceutical skin care products. However, the low solubility and poor stability of GA have limited its application. This study aimed to synthesize and characterize the GA niosomal dispersion (GAN) and investigate the potential of an optimal formulation as a skin drug delivery system for GA. For this purpose, GAN formulations were synthesized using the thin layer evaporation method with different molar ratios of Tween 60/Span 60, along with a constant molar ratio of polyethylene glycol 4000 (PEG-4000) and cholesterol in a methanol and chloroform solvent (1:4 v/v). The physicochemical properties of nanosystems in terms of size, zeta potential, drug entrapment, drug release, morphology, and system-drug interaction were characterized using different methods. In addition, in vitro cytotoxicity, anti-tyrosinase activity, and antibacterial activity were evaluated by MTT assay, the spectrophotometric method, and micro-well dilution assay. All formulations revealed a size of 80-276 nm, polydispersity index (PDI) values below 0.35, and zeta potential values below-9.7 mV. F2 was selected as the optimal formulation due to its smaller size and high stability. The optimal formulation of GAN (F2) was as follows: a 1:1 molar ratio of Span 60 to cholesterol and 1.5 mM GA. The release of the F2 drug showed a biphasic pattern, which was fast in the first 12 h until 58% was released. Our results showed the high antibacterial activity of GAN against Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The MTT assay showed that GA encapsulation increased its effect on B6F10 cancer cells. The F2 formulation exhibited potent anti-tyrosinase activity and inhibited melanin synthesis. These findings suggest that it can be used in dermatological skin care products in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries due to its significant antibacterial, anti-melanoma, and anti-tyrosinase activity.

Eco-friendly preparation, characterization, evaluation of anti-melanogenesis/antioxidant effect and in vitro/in vivo safety profile of kojic acid loaded niosome as skin lightener preparation

In the current study, an ultrasonic approach (as green method) was utilized to prepared kojic acid niosome (kojisome) which aimed to increase the dermal delivery and improving anti-melanogenesis properties. The study's findings demonstrated that increasing cholesterol enhanced the mean particle size from 68.333 ± 5.686 nm to 325.000 ± 15.099 nm and entrapment efficiency 0% to 39.341 ± 4.126% of the kojisome. Cholesterol may enhance the number and rigidity of bilayers that induced a size enhancement and entrapment efficiency. The skin permeability test revealed that kojisome gel had more kojic acid in dermal layers (437.563 ± 29.857 μg/cm2 or 16.624 ± 1.379%) than kojic acid plain gel (161.290 ± 14.812 μg/cm2 or 6.128 ± 0.672%). The niosome's lipophilicity allowed for gradual penetration, possibly due to better contact with the skin layers. Also, the extended-release behavior of improved kojisome exhibited high safety profile and low side effect in In vitro cytotoxicity assay, dermal irritation test, and Histo-pathological evaluation. Furthermore, optimum kojisome inhibited melanin formation (53.093 ± 2.985% at 1000 µM) higher than free kojic acid (62.383 ± 1.958%) significantly (p < 0.05). In addition, Kojisome 6 inhibited L-dopa auto-oxidation greater extent (94.806 ± 2.411%) than pure kojic acid solution (72.953 ± 2.728%). Kojisome by delivering and targeting large amount of kojic acid on specific site causes high efficacy in inhibition of melanin synthesis. The observations of this study revealed that the produced kojisome might be used as a potential nano-vehicle for kojic acid dermal administration, thereby opening up innovative options for the treatment of hyperpigmentation problems.

Encapsulation of alpha arbutin, a depigmenting agent, in nanosized ethosomes: Invitro and invivo human studies

Alpha arbutin is a skin-whitening agent in cosmetics. Structurally, it is 4-hydroxyphenyl-α-glucopyranoside. Ethosomes encourage the formation of lamellar-shaped vesicles with improved solubility and entrapment of whitening agents. The objective of this study was to fabricate an optimized nanostructured ethosomal gel loaded with alpha arbutin for the treatment of skin pigmentation. Different ethosomal suspensions of alpha arbutin were prepared by the cold method. Invitro evaluation included zeta potential, droplet size analysis, polydispersity index, entrapment efficiency (EE), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Stability studies of the optimized ethosomal and control gels were performed for three months under different temperature conditions. The optimized ethosomal gel loaded with alpha arbutin was further analyzed on human volunteers for skin benefits by measuring melanin level, moisture content and elasticity. It was concluded that the optimized formulation had a size, zeta potential, polydispersity index and entrapment efficiency of 196.87 nm, -45.140 mV, 0.217 and 93.458343%, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) depicted spherical ethosomal vesicles. Stability data was obtained in terms of pH and conductivity. Rheological analysis revealed non-Newtonian flow. The cumulative drug permeated for ethosomal gel was 78.4%. Moreover, encapsulation of alpha arbutin causes significant improvement in skin melanin, moisture content and elasticity. The overall findings suggested that the arbutin-loaded ethosomal formulation was stable and could be a better approach than conventional formulation for cosmeceutical purposes such as for depigmentation and moisturizing effects.

Exploring the use of niosomes in cosmetics for efficient dermal drug delivery

Dermal drug delivery has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional methods of drug administration due to its non-invasive nature and ease of use. However, the stratum corneum, the outermost layer of the skin, presents a significant barrier to drug penetration. Niosomes, self-assembled vesicular structures composed of nonionic surfactants and cholesterol, have been extensively investigated as a means of overcoming this barrier and improving the efficacy of dermal drug delivery. This review summarizes the current state of research on the use of niosomes in dermal drug delivery in cosmetics, with a particular focus on their formulation, characterization, and application in the delivery of various drug classes. The review highlights the advantages of niosomes over conventional drug delivery methods, including improved solubility and stability of drugs, controlled release, and enhanced skin permeation. The review also discusses the challenges associated with niosome-based drug delivery, such as their complex formulation and optimization, and the need for further studies on their long-term safety and toxicity.

New Insights in Topical Drug Delivery for Skin Disorders: From a Nanotechnological Perspective

Skin, the largest organ in humans, is an efficient route for the delivery of drugs as it circumvents several disadvantages of the oral and parenteral routes. These advantages of skin have fascinated researchers in recent decades. Drug delivery via a topical route includes moving the drug from a topical product to a locally targeted region with dermal circulation throughout the body and deeper tissues. Still, due to the skin's barrier function, delivery through the skin can be difficult. Drug delivery to the skin using conventional formulations with micronized active components, for instance, lotions, gels, ointments, and creams, results in poor penetration. The use of nanoparticulate carriers is one of the promising strategies, as it provides efficient delivery of drugs through the skin and overcomes the disadvantage of traditional formulations. Nanoformulations with smaller particle sizes contribute to improved permeability of therapeutic agents, targeting, stability, and retention, making nanoformulations ideal for drug delivery through a topical route. Achieving sustained release and preserving a localized effect utilizing nanocarriers can result in the effective treatment of numerous infections or skin disorders. This article aims to evaluate and discuss the most recent developments of nanocarriers as therapeutic agent vehicles for skin conditions with patent technology and a market overview that will give future directions for research. As topical drug delivery systems have shown great preclinical results for skin problems, for future research directions, we anticipate including in-depth studies of nanocarrier behavior in various customized treatments to take into account the phenotypic variability of the disease.

Microbial cellulosic pad encompassing alpha-arbutin in Tragacanth gum as the controlled delivery system

This research focuses on preparing a natural-based drug delivery system for α-arbutin (AR) as a skin lightening. Bacterial cellulose nanofibers (BC) pad was used for controlled-AR release through two approaches. First was the dip-drying method (P-BC), in which AR cross-linked to BC pads using citric acid (CA). The second was simultaneously entrapping of AR in Tragacanth gum (AR-TG) and stabilized on BC (BC-T) through the ultrasonic-assisted microemulsion method. UV-Vis spectra revealed better control of AR release in BC-T in the first hour. High cell viability (above 70 %) of the pads containing 1-3 % AR was reported using MTT assay. The in-vitro permeation study indicated the proper AR penetration in the treated pads. The Fickian diffusion model was determined as a fitted model for all pads in the drug release kinetics. FTIR, XRD, and TGA analyses further characterized the pads. FESEM images verified AR-TG and BC structures with average diameters of 410.7 ± 25.4 and 34.5 ± 7.51 nm, respectively. The hydrophilicity and mechanical properties of the pads were also investigated. Finally, the high biocompatibility, initial controlled release, and proper permeation suggested BC-T as a more promising delivery platform for AR.

An Eco-Friendly and Hopeful Promise Platform for Delivering Hydrophilic Wound Healing Agents in Topical Administration for Wound Disorder: Diltiazem-Loaded Niosomes

Purposes

Calcium channel blockers, such as diltiazem (DLZ), are important drugs for wound repair treatment. This current study used an ultrasonic method to increase the cutaneous delivery of (DLZ) niosomes.

Methods

The impact of the cholesterol:surfactant ratio on the DLZ-loaded niosome formulations was investigated. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, drug release, skin sensitivity, animal wound repair model, and histopathological assessment were applied to investigate the characteristics, morphology, and therapeutic effectiveness of the DLZ noisome.

Results

The results showed that changes in the cholesterol:surfactant ratio can influence the zeta potential and the size of the niosome. The maximum entrapment efficiency was observed to be about 94% when the cholesterol content in the formulation was high. The DLZ release studies revealed that the niosomal formulation was released slowly over the course of 24 h. Macroscopic observations of the wound demonstrated that wound closure in the DLZ-niosome-treated group and the commercial brand was equal and higher than in the other groups (gel base, placebo gel, and negative control). Pathological studies described that the wound repair in the DLZ-niosomal gel group was greater than in the other treatment. All the preparations tested for cutaneous irritation on Wistar rats showed the DLZ niosomal gels to be non-irritating.

Conclusion

The findings of this study revealed that the prepared DLZ-niosome could be used as a possible nano-vesicle for DLZ cutaneous delivery thus potentially opening up new prospects for the treatment of wound disorders.

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.

Green formulation, characterization, antifungal and biological safety evaluation of terbinafine HCl niosomes and niosomal gels manufactured by eco-friendly green method

Terbinafine (TER) is a promising candidate medication for the topical treatment of fungal infections. However, its solubility in water and skin permeability are limited. To overcome these limitations, a Terbinafine niosome and niosomal gel was developed. The impact of cholesterol:surfactants on terbinafine incorporated niosome (terbinasome) preparations was examined. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy were used to assess the morphological features of terbinasome and the physicochemical characteristics of TER in terbinasome. The obtained results has shown that Chol enhanced the diameter of the terbinasome from 123.20 ± 2.86 to 701.93 ± 17.72 nm. The highest encapsulation of terbinafine was estimated to be around 66% due to the cholesterol:surfactants ratio in the terbinasome was 1:3 and 1:6. Additional examination has revealed that changes in the cholesterol:surfactants ratio can result in a change in the PDI value of between 0.421 ± 0.004 and 0.712 ± 0.011. The terbinasome gel was prepared and tested for pharmaceutical testing, including pH, viscosity, spreadability, and stability. The percentage of TER dissolution from terbinasome were determined more than 80% and showed quickest drug release. In a cutaneous permeability examination, the quantity of TER in the cutaneous layers and the receiver compartment were higher for the terbinasome gel than for the TER simple gel. The terbinasome's cell viability was around 90% (HFF cell line) and MTT experiment demonstrated that the terbinasome was not cytotoxic. The MIC of the terbinasome was lower than pure drug against Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Trichophyton. The terbinasomal gels were non-irritant (score < 2) in the cutaneous irritation examination performed on Wistar rats. The research suggests that the optimized terbinasome may be used as a nano-vesicle for TER drug administration, hence opening up new possibilities for the treatment of cutaneous infections.

Venlafaxine HCl Encapsulated in Niosome: Green and Eco-friendly Formulation for the Management of Pain

The goal of this experimentation was to increase the cutaneous absorption of venlafaxine HCl (VFX) encapsulated in a niosome (venlasosme) produced by an ultrasonic approach. The impact of the cholesterol:surfactant (Chol:Surf) proportion was examined to modify the venlasosme properties. Photon correlation spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), SEM, DSC, and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy were utilized to investigate the solid-state and morphology of VFX in the venlasosme. The studies revealed that increasing the level of Chol in the venlasosme increased the size of the particles. Alterations in the Chol to surfactant ratios (when Chol decreased from 2.5 to 0%) caused the zeta potential enhancement from 7.37 ± 0.67 to 15.53 ± 1.47 mV. The venlasosme with the highest cholesterol concentration (2.5%) had the highest encapsulation efficiency (approximately 63%). PXRD results revealed that VFX in venlasosme was in the amorphous form. The levels of VFX in the cutaneous layers and the receiver compartment were higher for the venlasosme gel than for VFX simple gel in the cutaneous permeability study and showed no cutaneous irritancy in rats. Furthermore, the venlasosme gel demonstrated significant antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory responses when compared to the control groups (VFX simple gel and diclofenac gel). The topical administration of the venlasosme gel also considerably increased the tail-flick and hot-plate response time when compared to the VFX simple gel, control groups, and diclofenac gel (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that niosomes can improve VFX efficacy as an antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory substance by improving the medicaments delivery to the specified site.

Atorvastatin Entrapped Noisome (Atrosome): Green Preparation Approach for Wound Healing

The present study aimed to formulate atorvastatin niosome (Atrosome) through an ultrasonic technique and to determine its contribution to the extent of wound healing in an animal model. The optimized Atrosome formulation (Atrosome-2) was stable at 4 °C for 3 months. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), ATR-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis revealed that atorvastatin (ATR) was well encapsulated within the niosomes either in a stabilized amorphous form or a molecularly dispersed state. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscope (AFM) confirmed the spherical nature of the Atrosomes. The optimized formulation showed polydispersity index, particle size, drug encapsulation efficiency (EE%), and zeta potential of 0.457 ± 0.05, 196.33 ± 6.45 nm, 86.15 ± 0.58 %, and - 20.73 ± 0.98 mV, respectively. ATR release from the Atrosome gel followed the first-order kinetic model and showed no cytotoxicity in the in vitro cytotoxicity test. Cell viability (human foreskin fibroblast cell line) was nearly 99%. An excision wound model was also applied in male Wistar rats to examine the in vivo efficacy of the optimized formulation, followed by investigating malondialdehyde (MDA, an end-product of lipid peroxidation), superoxide dismutase (SOD, an endogenous antioxidant), hydroxyproline levels, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in skin tissue samples. MDA significantly decreased in the Atrosome gel group after 21 days, while GPx, SOD, and hydroxyproline levels demonstrated an increase. According to histological results, rats receiving Atrosomes were treated effectively faster when compared to the other formulation used.

Nanocarriers as Active Ingredients Enhancers in the Cosmetic Industry-The European and North America Regulation Challenges

“Flawless skin is the most universally desired human feature” is an iconic statement by Desmond Morris. Skin indicates one´s health and is so important that it affects a person’s emotional and psychological behavior, these facts having propelled the development of the cosmetics industry. It is estimated that in 2023, this industry will achieve more than 800 billion dollars. This boost is due to the development of new cosmetic formulations based on nanotechnology. Nanocarriers have been able to solve problems related to active ingredients regarding their solubility, poor stability, and release. Even though nanocarriers have evident benefits, they also present some problems related to the high cost, low shelf life, and toxicity. Regulation and legislation are two controversial topics regarding the use of nanotechnology in the field of cosmetics. In this area, the U.S. FDA has taken the lead and recommended several biosafety studies and post-market safety evaluations. The lack of a global definition that identifies nanomaterials as a cosmetic ingredient is a hindrance to the development of global legislation. In the EU, the legislation regarding the biosafety of nanomaterials in cosmetics is stricter. “The cost is not the only important issue, safety and the application of alternative testing methods for toxicity are of crucial importance as well”.

Self-Assembling Drug Formulations with Tunable Permeability and Biodegradability

This review focuses on key topics in the field of drug delivery related to the design of nanocarriers answering the biomedicine criteria, including biocompatibility, biodegradability, low toxicity, and the ability to overcome biological barriers. For these reasons, much attention is paid to the amphiphile-based carriers composed of natural building blocks, lipids, and their structural analogues and synthetic surfactants that are capable of self-assembly with the formation of a variety of supramolecular aggregates. The latter are dynamic structures that can be used as nanocontainers for hydrophobic drugs to increase their solubility and bioavailability. In this section, biodegradable cationic surfactants bearing cleavable fragments are discussed, with ester- and carbamate-containing analogs, as well as amino acid derivatives received special attention. Drug delivery through the biological barriers is a challenging task, which is highlighted by the example of transdermal method of drug administration. In this paper, nonionic surfactants are primarily discussed, including their application for the fabrication of nanocarriers, their surfactant-skin interactions, the mechanisms of modulating their permeability, and the factors controlling drug encapsulation, release, and targeted delivery. Different types of nanocarriers are covered, including niosomes, transfersomes, invasomes and chitosomes, with their morphological specificity, beneficial characteristics and limitations discussed.

Innovative topical niosomal gel formulation containing diclofenac sodium (niofenac)

The purpose of this research was to enhance the transdermal delivery of diclofenac sodium niosomal formulations. To characterise the obtained niosomes, SEM, XRPD, DSC and ATR-FTIR were employed. The size of the niosomes increased from 158.00 ± 6.17 to 400.87 ± 4.99 nm when cholesterol was incorporated into the formulations. It was observed that the zeta potential of niofenac varies from -25.40 ± 1.352 to -43.13 ± 1.171 mV when the cholesterol percentage decreased from 2% to 0.2%. The higher entrapment efficiency percentage (63.70 ± 0.18%) was obtained for the formulations with larger particle sizes and higher cholesterol content. The optimised niofenac formulation showed a controlled release fashion where 61.71 ± 0.59% of the drug released within 24 h. The results showed that the value of permeated diclofenac sodium through the skin layers was higher for the niofenac gel formulation (242.3 ± 31.11 µg/cm²) compared to simple gel formulation (127.40 ± 27.80 µg/cm²). Besides, niofenac formulation outperformed the anti-inflammatory activities in the formalin test compared to the control and diclofenac simple gel group. The licking time was significantly lower in both early (40.2 ± 7.3 s) and late stages (432.4 ± 31.7 s) for niofenac compared to conventional formulation (early stage 130.4 ± 8.73 s and late stage 660.6 ± 123.73 s). This study indicates that niosomal formulations can improve drug therapeutic effects by increasing drug delivery to specific sites.