Kojic Acid Containing Novel Drug Delivery System on Facial Dyschromia: Characterization and Their Evaluation

Abstract

Stubborn skin pigmentation issues like post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) and melasma are the primary reasons people seek cosmetic consultations. Treating these conditions topically is challenging, as it involves inhibiting various stages of production of the pigment process. A powerful tyrosinase inhibitor like, kojic acid (KA) is employed as a formulation to regulate pigmentation production by suppressing the melanogenesis process. It’s important to note that the application of KA has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), US, for dermatological treatments. The goal of this investigation was to formulate a nanoemulsion containing kojic acid for skin delivery using an emulsification method. The characteristics of the KA nanoemulsion were thoroughly examined through techniques like fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, (FTIR) particle size analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TME). In addition, the formulation’s performance was evaluated through both ex-vivo permeation study and in-vitro release study. Analysis of the FTIR, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results revealed that kojic acid with other ingredients in the formulation did not exhibit any chemical interactions. The kojic acid nanoparticles that were produced exhibited a spherical shape and were uniformly distributed, with an average size diameter of 184 nm. In in-vitro tests, it was observed that 87.67% of the drug was released within 12 hours. Moreover, ex-vivo permeation evaluation demonstrated that 81.24% of the drug permeated the skin within 8 hours of application. The thermal stability studies confirmed the stability of the kojic acid nanoemulsion, with no signs of creaming, cracking, or phase separation in the formulation. In conclusion, the findings of this study suggest that the kojic acid nanoemulsion holds great promise as an effective means for delivering kojic acid within the upper layers of the skin for treating of facial dyschromia.