Biodegradable antioxidant chitosan films useful as an anti-aging skin mask.

Cosmetics, personal care and biomedical products obtained by bio-based polymers and natural bioactive compounds are a new growing market. The ecological awareness is changing consumers' demands, causing consumers to look for more sustainable options, with a reduced environmental impact. The innovation of this work was to develop a natural polymer matrix (chitosan) entrapping antioxidant actives compounds such as annatto (Bixa Orellana L.) and vitamin C with potential application as sustainable anti-aging skin mask treatment. Films of chitosan (Ch) and reacetylated chitosan (RCh), exhibiting different degrees of acetylation (DA = 13.3 and 33.9%, respectively), were produced. The formulations of active films of chitosan (BCh) and reacetylated chitosan (BRCh) were 1% (w/w) of chitosan, 1% (w/w) of annatto powder, 5% (w/w) of vitamin C and 1% (w/w) of glycerol (as plasticizer). Reacetylated chitosan films (DA = 33.9%) presented higher water affinity than chitosan films (DA = 13.3%). The elongation of RCh and BRCh increased and the resistance decreased, as compared to Ch and BCh. The antioxidants compounds (annatto and vitamin C) of BRCh films released faster than BCh films. Thus, the BRCh films showed potential application as an anti-aging skin mask.

Tretinoin (0.05% cream vs. 5% peel) for photoaging and field cancerization of the forearms: randomized, evaluator-blinded, clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Topical tretinoin cream is the gold standard treatment for skin ageing, particularly photoaging. The purpose of tretinoin peel was to obtain similar results, but in a shorter time, however, there have been few controlled trials on its effectiveness. OBJECTIVE: To compare efficacy and safety of tretinoin 0.05% cream and 5% as a peeling agent on photoaging and field cancerization of the forearms. METHODS: Clinical trial with therapeutic intervention, prospective, randomized (computer-generated randomization list), parallel, comparative (intrasubject) and evaluator-blinded (except for histology and immunohistochemistry), including 24 women (48 forearms) aged over 60 years who have not undergone hormone replacement and categorized as Fitzpatrick skin phototype II or III. The forearms of the participants were randomized for treatment with 0.05% tretinoin cream three nights a week, or 5% tretinoin peel every 2 weeks. The opinion of the participant, severity of photoaging, corneometry, profilometry, high-frequency ultrasound, histology (haematoxylin-eosin and Verhoeff stainings) and immunohistochemistry (p53, bcl-2, Ki67 and collagen I) were assessed. RESULTS: One participant dropped out. The mean photoaging score reduced 20% and the mean actinic keratosis (AK) count reduced 60% with no difference between treatments. Three efficacy parameters showed opposite effects between the tretinoin treatments (P < 0.05%): (i) thickness of the corneal layer decreased with 0.05% tretinoin and increased by 5%; (ii) dermis echogenicity increased by 0.05% and decreased by 5% and (iii) Ki67 expression increased by 0.05% and decreased by 5%. There was good tolerability for both regimens. CONCLUSION: Tretinoin as a cream 0.05% or peeling (5%) is safe and effective for the treatment of moderate photoaging and forearm field cancerization. The cream was superior in improving ultrasonographic parameters of ageing. Peeling was shown a superior performance in the stabilization of field cancerization.

Silicone/vegetable oil Janus emulsion: topological stability versus interfacial tensions and relative oil volumes.

Several aspects were studied of the formation and destabilization in bulk of silicone/vegetable oil, SO/VO, Janus emulsions, stabilized by Tween 80. In the formation of the emulsions, it was unexpectedly found that the dispersions tended to contain both single and flocculated drops irrespective of the emulsification intensity. Microscopy of the emulsions with no cover glass revealed flocculated drops of a large (200-500 µm) central SO drop with many small VO drops attached. Applying a cover glass did not significantly change the drop size; instead two-oil Janus drops of well-defined contact angle were found. The emulsions showed rapid creaming irrespective of the preparation method, but a few days storage did not significantly change the drop size in the creamed layer, nor was separation of the oils detected. The total interfacial free energy of the Janus drops at equilibrium was compared to the two relevant alternatives; engulfed and separate drops. The Janus drop free energies were found less for all volume ratios of the oils, when the surfactant concentrations in the aqueous phase was sufficient to prevent spreading of VO on SO. Changing the surfactant concentration to bring the interfacial tensions closer to the critical value for spreading gave declining interfacial free energy difference to that of engulfed drops.

Structural characterization and in vivo evaluation of retinyl palmitate in non-ionic lamellar liquid crystalline system.

Carrier systems for lipophilic drugs, such as the liquid crystalline systems (LCS) have been extensively studied to improve effect and selectivity. Retinyl palmitate (RP) is widely used in pharmaceutical and cosmetics products to improve the skin elasticity. The aim of this study was the development, characterization and the in vivo effectiveness of RP in non-ionic LCS structures. LCS containing polyether functional siloxane as oil phase, silicon glycol copolymer as surfactant and water in the ratio 30:10:60, with and without RP were studied. The results of the polarized light microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering and rheology analysis indicated the presence of typical LCS structures with lamellar arrangement. Regardless of the presence of RP, the rheological studies showed the pseudo plastic behavior of the systems. However, highest hysteresis area was verified when comparing the system in the presence and in the absence of RP. Stability study SAXS monitored, carried out up to 30 days in various storage temperature conditions (25±2 °C, 37±2 °C and 5±2 °C) demonstrated the great structural stability of the LCS systems. The in vivo effectiveness analysis suggests that the RP-loaded LCS provided a significant reduction of the orbicular wrinkles in human volunteers (P=0.048).

Avaliação da estabilidade físico-química de emulsão acrescida de uréia dispersada, ou não, em propilenoglicol / Evaluation of the physicochemical stability of emulsion containing urea, added directly or premixed in propylene glycol

Normalmente uma formulação pode ser manipulada de diversas maneiras, devendo-se sempre optar pela técnica que forneça o produto mais estável e homogêneo. Alguns farmacêuticos a fim de facilitar e acelerar a manipulação dispersam a uréia em propilenoglicol antes de proceder a homogeneização da mesma no veículo, enquanto outros profissionais acreditam que essa técnica pode ocasionar instabilidade física no produto final e por isso acrescentam o veículo diretamente na uréia. Logo, o objetivo deste estudo foi analisar o comportamento reológico e a estabilidade física de formulações acrescidas de 10% de uréia manipuladas com, ou sem, a adição de propilenoglicol. Foi realizado o estudo de Estabilidade acelerada, com duração de 180 dias. As formulações foram armazenadas em temperatura ambiente (25ºC±2), geladeira (5ºC±2) e estufa (37ºC±2) e as leituras foram feitas nos tempos 24 horas (T1), 15 dias (T15) e 180 dias (T180), onde foram analisadas as características organolépticas, teste de centrífuga, determinação do pH, viscosidade e comportamento reológico. Os resultados obtidos neste estudo mostraram que a presença do propilenoglicol melhorou a estabilidade física da emulsão acrescida de uréia, a longo prazo.

Normally, an emulsion can be prepared in several ways, the method of choice invariably being the one that provides the most stable and homogeneous product. Some pharmamacists, in order to facilitate and accelerate the manipulation, disperse the urea in propylene glycol before proceeding to its homogenization in the vehicle, while others believe that this method can lead to physical instability in the final product and for that reason they add the vehicle directly to the urea. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the rheological behavior and the physical stability of formulations containing 10% urea, prepared with, or without, the prior addition of propylene glycol to the urea. An accelerated stability test was carried out over a period of 180 days. The formulations were stored at room temperature (25±2ºC), refrigerated (5±2ºC) and incubated at blood temperature (37±2ºC) and assessed after 24 hours (T1), 15 days (T15) and 180 days (T180), when the organoleptical characteristics, pH, viscosity and rheological behavior were recorded, along with data from the centrifuge test. The results showed that premixing the urea in propylene glycol improved the physical stability of the emulsion plus urea, in the long run.

Desenvolvimento e estudos preliminares de estabilidade de formulações fotoprotetoras contendo Granlux GAI-45 TS / Development and preliminary tests of stability of sunscreen formulations containing Granlux GAI-45 TS®

A tendência atual no desenvolvimento de formulações fotoprotetoras é a associação de filtros químicos de amplo espectro e filtros físicos microparticulados fotoestáveis. Para assegurar a estabilidade do filtro é indispensável sua incorporação em veículo adequado que contribua para a melhora da aparência, do sensorial e da aceitação do produto pelo consumidor. O objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver e realizar estudos preliminares de estabilidade de formulações cosméticas para incorporação de 20% de filtro solar constituído por metil bisbenzotriazolil tetrametilbutil fenol e dióxido de titânio (Granlux GAI-45 TS®). As formulações selecionadas foram então acrescidas do filtro solar e novamente sujeitas à estudos preliminares de estabilidade. De um total de 20 formulações desenvolvidas, foram selecionados um gel fluido, um gel viscoso, um gel-creme e uma emulsão, aos quais incorporou-se o filtro solar. Após serem submetidas a estudos preliminares de estabilidade, as formulações não apresentaram variação de pH e mantiveram-se estáveis frente ao teste de centrifugação. Diante das condições experimentais, conclui-se que as formulações selecionadas apresentaram espalhabilidade adequada,oleosidade mínima, não apresentaram variação de pH e mantiveram-se estáveis frente ao teste de centrifugação, sendo excipientes adequados para incorporação do Granlux GAI-45 TS®.

Efeito do ultra-som e do d-pantenol na regeneracao tegumentar / Effect of ultrasound and dexpanthenol on wound healing

Estudar os efeitos dos tratamentos com ultra-som (US) e d-pantenol (d-p) na reparacao tegumentar em ratos por meio de analise histoetrica e histopatologica. Metodo: foram utilizados 50 ratos wistar, anestesiados por Thionembutal sodico (50 mg/kg), dos quais foi retirado 1cm2 de pele na rehiao dorsal, sendo que 25 foram submetidos a tratamento diario por 7 dias e 25 por 14 dias. Os grupos experimentais (n=5) foram: controle (C), gel (G), US (3MHz, 0,1 W/cm2, 1 minuto, modo continuo), d-p na concentracao de (10 por cento) e US+d-p. seccoes de 6 um de espessura da lesao foram procesados para coloracao em Hematoxilina-Eosina. A re-epitelizacao e o numero de fibroblastos e leucocitos foram obtidos num processador de imagens (Software Imagem Pro-Plus) e analisados pelo teste ANOVA, seguido de Tukey para comparacao da medias. Resultados: a re-epitelizacao dos grupos US(1869,6+-238,4 um) e US+d-p(2167,7+-232 um) foi maior (p<-0,05) em relacao ao C(987,7+-146,8 um), mas nao diferiram entre si. O numero de fibroblastos no grupo US (419+-37) com sete dias de tratamento foi significativamente maior em relacao aos demais grupos: (C:250+-17), (d-p:296+-49) e (US+d-p:274+-18). No grupo US, tratado por sete dias, a media de leucocitos (134+-15) foi menor (p<-0,05) em relacao ao C (253+-37), d-p (222+-29) e US+d-p (153+-14), evidenciando seu efeito na fase inicial do processo inflamatorio. Conclusoes: o US acelera o processo de reparo, bem como associado ao d-p. Porem, essa associacao dos tratamentos, US+d-p, n'ao mostrou resultados significativos em relacao ao tratamento com US isolado

Evaluation of the ultrasound influence in the cutaneous penetration of d-panthenol: test in vitro.

BACKGROUND: d-panthenol is a popular additive in cosmetic and pharmaceutical preparations. However, in order for this vitamin to provide skin benefits, it must penetrate the stratum corneum. OBJECTIVE: To verify the penetrability of d-panthenol in the skin and evaluate the effect of ultrasound on the cutaneous penetration of this vitamin. METHODS: The diffusion cell technique with pig skin as the membrane, distilled water as the receptor solution, and a hydrophilic d-panthenol gel were used for the research. The experimental groups were gel + d-panthenol (10%) and gel + d-panthenol (10%) + ultrasound. The receptor solution was collected at predetermined times and the amount of d-panthenol was determined by using a spectrophotometer at 406 nm. RESULTS: Ultrasound resulted in a statistically significant increase (P < 0.05) in the penetration of d-panthenol at 2, 60, and 240 min. CONCLUSION: d-panthenol penetration through the pig's skin is enhanced through the use of ultrasound.

Efeito do ultra-som na permeacao cutanea do tiratricol: analise histologica / Effect of ultrasound on the tiratricol skin permeation: histologic analysis

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar o efeito do ultra-som na permeacao cutanea do tiratricol, farmacio lipolitico muito utilizado no tratamento mesoterapico para celulite. Trata-se, porem, de metodo invasivo, razao do interesse pela aplicacao topica. Os tratamentos topicos foram realizados no dorso de cinco suinos(Landrace x Large White), machos, com 50 dias, em areas de 8cm :C-controle, G-gel (carbpol 940), G+US-gel +ultra-som, G+T-gel+tiratricol (20mg/3 de gel), G+T+US-gel+tiratricol+ultra-som, e M- mesoterapia, tratados diariamente por 15 dias. O protocolo do US foi: 3 MHz, 0,2 W/cm, continuo. Apos processamento histologico em parafina com coloracao por HE, usando-se ocular milimetrada (Zeiss), forma feitas medidas histometricas da pele, analisadas pela (ANOVA) com teste de DUNNET a 5(por cento) (p>,0,05) de significancia. Essa analise mostrou espessamento na epiderme, em razao do poder hidratente do gel, o que nao ocorreu no tratamento com mesoterapia. A hipoderme das areas tratadas por mesoterapia sofreu reducao significativa em sua espessura (33,8(por cento), p<0,05), assim como as areas tratadas por gel + tiratricol + US (23,5 (por cento), p<0,05), o que nao ocorreu com o tiratricol isoladamente (6,08 por cento, p>0,05). Concluiu-se que o US aumentou a permeacao do tiratricol