Abstract
Huge amounts of chitin and chitosans can be found in the biosphere as important constituents of the exoskeleton of many organisms and as waste by worldwide seafood companies. Presently, politicians, environmentalists, and industrialists encourage the use of these marine polysaccharides as a renewable source developed by alternative eco-friendly processes, especially in the production of regular cosmetics. The aim of this review is to outline the physicochemical and biological properties and the different bioextraction methods of chitin and chitosan sources, focusing on enzymatic deproteinization, bacteria fermentation, and enzymatic deacetylation methods. Thanks to their biodegradability, non-toxicity, biocompatibility, and bioactivity, the applications of these marine polymers are widely used in the contemporary manufacturing of biomedical and pharmaceutical products. In the end, advanced cosmetics based on chitin and chitosans are presented, analyzing different therapeutic aspects regarding skin, hair, nail, and oral care. The innovative formulations described can be considered excellent candidates for the prevention and treatment of several diseases associated with different body anatomical sectors.
Highlights
Global warming, waste disposal, air pollution, and natural resources exhaustion have been recognized as the dominant cause of many environmental disasters
Unlike the chemicals normally used in cosmetic treatments, repeated application of the HPCH nail solution can prevent the occurrence of new or recurrent fungal infections by increasing hardness, tensile strength, and flexural strength of the hoof sample compared to the untreated control
As an example of a drug product developed for scalp treatment, we report a study of Matos et al, who developed a delivery system based on chitosan nanoparticles loaded with minoxidil sulfate (MXS-NP) in a 1:1 weight ratio, for targeted release to hair follicles
Summary
Waste disposal, air pollution, and natural resources exhaustion have been recognized as the dominant cause of many environmental disasters. Organic products are increasing their marketing power and social interest thanks to the high expectations of consumers towards ambient and human health [1,2] These goods, to be considered “green” or “organic”, must be produced with renewable energy, possess characteristics such as fast degradation, minimize waste production, and be environmentally friendly [3]. Substances, or preparations other than drugs intended to be applied on the external surfaces of the human body (epidermis, hair system, nails, lips, external genital organs) or on teeth and mucous membranes of the mouth for the exclusive or prevalent purpose of cleaning them, perfuming them, modifying their appearance, correcting body odors, protecting, or keeping them in good condition [14] Starting from this regulation, we provide examples of cosmetics with drug-like substances, up to now without specific legislation, considering them as promising starting points for new cosmetic developments
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