Palygorskite organophilic for dermopharmaceutical application

Abstract

Due to the growing interest of the population in natural treatments, the clays represent a good alternative to the treatment of wounds. Its modification by organophilization happens when the same inorganic cations are exchanged for organic cations of the surfactant used in the process. Thus, the clay has the properties of its surface modified from being hydrophilic to hydrophobic, improving its functionality on the skin. In order to determine changes in surface palygorskite and to assess its healing action, this clay was organophilizated by two cationic surfactants: dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride alkyl, and cetyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, and characterized by sieve analysis, property flow, test oil adsorption, and the techniques of X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, infrared Fourier transform, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning calorimetry—differential and histological of cutaneous wounds in rats. The results indicate that the attapulgite has good rheological properties, a high capacity of adsorption of oil, and the presence of clay minerals that reduce inflammation. The analysis by X-ray fluorescence is not observing any change in the crystal structure of palygorskite organophilizated but through infrared spectroscopy Fourier transform, verifying the interaction and incorporation of the clay ammonium salts, as well as thermoanalytical analysis also suggests that the organophilic process reduces the hydrophilic character of palygorskite. The histological analysis showed healing effect after topical application of natural and organophilizated clay in skin wounds in rats. These analyses favor a good prospect of its application in dermopharmaceuticals, because the use of palygorskite provides greater interaction with skin and heals wounds.