Ananas comosus Peels Extract as a New Natural Cosmetic Ingredient: Oil-in-Water (O/W) Topical Nano Cream Stability and Safety Evaluation.

Ananas comosus peels (AcP) are among the agro-industrial biomasses contributing to a significant volume of waste in Malaysia. Thus, the AcP extract (AcPE) may prove useful for other applications, such as an ingredient in a nanocream for controlled delivery for dermal application. Therefore, this study aimed to develop an oil-in-water (O/W) nanocream using ingredients derived from the AcPE and test its stability alongside safety evaluation. The extract is a rich source of polyphenolic compounds viz., catechin, quercetin, and gallic acid. The study discovered that the optimized AcPE nano cream was stable against coalescence during the accelerated test but was influenced by Ostwald ripening over 6 weeks of storage at 4°C. Safety assessments affirmed the AcPE nano cream to be free of microbial contamination and heavy metals. The findings conveyed that the A. comosus nano cream is a good cosmetic ingredient and may contribute to the cosmeceutical industry's new and safe topical products.

Thermodynamic stability, in-vitro permeability, and in-silico molecular modeling of the optimal Elaeis guineensis leaves extract water-in-oil nanoemulsion.

Nanoemulsion is a delivery system used to enhance bioavailability of plant-based compounds across the stratum corneum. Elaeis guineensis leaves are rich source of polyphenolic antioxidants, viz. gallic acid and catechin. The optimal E. guineensis leaves extract water-in-oil nanoemulsion was stable against coalescence, but it was under significant influence of Ostwald ripening over 90 days at 25 °C. The in-vitro permeability revealed a controlled and sustained release of the total phenolic compounds (TPC) of EgLE with a cumulative amount of 1935.0 ± 45.7 µgcm-2 after 8 h. The steady-state flux and permeation coefficient values were 241.9 ± 5.7 µgcm-2 h-1 and 1.15 ± 0.03 cm.h-1, respectively. The kinetic release mechanism for TPC of EgLE was best described by the Korsmeyer-Peppas model due to the highest linearity of R2 = 0.9961, indicating super case II transport mechanism. The in-silico molecular modelling predicted that the aquaporin-3 protein in the stratum corneum bonded preferably to catechin over gallic acid through hydrogen bonds due to the lowest binding energies of - 57.514 kcal/mol and - 8.553 kcal/mol, respectively. Thus, the in-silico study further verified that catechin could improve skin hydration. Therefore, the optimal nanoemulsion could be used topically as moisturizer to enhance skin hydration based on the in-silico prediction.

Optimization of the antioxidant-rich xanthone extract from mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) pericarp via microwave-assisted extraction.

Total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant properties of xanthone extract from mangosteen pericarp via microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) method was optimized by response surface methodology (RSM). The MAE extraction conditions to obtain optimum antioxidant-rich xanthone extract were at 2.24 min of irradiation time, 25 mL/g of solvent-to-solid ratio and 71% of ethanol concentration. The predicted results for four responses were as follows; 320.31 mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract, 83.63% and 93.77% inhibition (DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2'-Azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assays), and 144.56 mg Trolox equivalent/g extract (FRAP, Ferric reducing antioxidant power). The predicted and actual values were statistically insignificant (P > 0.05). Therefore, these results confirmed that the examined model was acceptable and relevant. MAE led to a slightly similar antioxidant capacity and a higher extraction of α-mangostin, a major xanthone of mangosteen pericarp as compared to water bath-maceration technique.