Abstract
The present study deals with the evaluation of the age-defying potential of topical cream formulations bearing Geranium essential oil/Calendula essential oil-entrapped ethanolic lipid vesicles (ELVs). Two types of cream formulations were prepared, viz., conventional and ELVs spiked o/w creams. Essential oil- (EO-) loaded ELVs were characterized by vesicle size, polydispersity index, encapsulation efficiency, and scanning electron microscopy. The cream formulations were evaluated for homogeneity, spreadability, viscosity, pH, in vitro antioxidant capacity, sun protection factor, and in vitro collagenase and elastase inhibition capacity. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was performed to ascertain skin permeation of conventional and vesicular cream. The results of in vitro antioxidant studies showed that GEO-/CEO-loaded vesicular creams have notable antioxidant capacity when compared to nonvesicular creams. GEO- or CEO-loaded vesicular creams exhibited the highest SPF value 10.26 and 18.54, respectively. Both the EO-based vesicular creams showed in vitro collagenase and elastase enzyme inhibition capacity. CLSM images clearly depicted that vesicular cream deep into the skin layers. From the research findings, the age-defying potential and photoprotective effects of GEO and CEO were confirmed. It can be concluded that ELVs are able to preserve the efficiency of EOs and have the potential to combat skin aging.
Highlights
Finding solutions against various signs of skin aging has been a natural human desire for centuries
We have reported extraction of Geranium essential oil (GEO) from Pelargonium graveolens leaves and Calendula essential oil (CEO) from Calendula officinalis flowers using a Clevenger apparatus
Our findings showed that GEO and CEO have the potential to reduce or prevent oxidative stress and can be used in skincare regimens to slow down skin aging via its antioxidant properties [9]
Summary
Finding solutions against various signs of skin aging has been a natural human desire for centuries. Skin aging is a complex biological process, influenced by a combination of intrinsic (genetics, cellular metabolism, hormone, and metabolic processes) and extrinsic factors (chronic light exposure, pollution, ionizing radiation, chemicals, and toxins) [1]. One of the possibilities for increasing the penetration of active ingredients is the use of vesicular delivery systems such as liposomes, niosomes, and ethosomes [2]. These vesicles can act either as a carrier system or as penetration enhancers. The presence of ethanol in these vesicles makes the vesicular membrane highly flexible and malleable, and due to the solvent effect of ethanol, fluidity of stratum corneum lipids increases that leads to enhanced permeability of active ingredient
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