Effect of compositions in nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) on skin hydration and occlusion.

Purpose: To study the effects of varying lipid concentrations, lipid and oil ratio, and the addition of propylene glycol and lecithin on the long-term physical stability of nanostructured lipid nanocarriers (NLC), skin hydration, and transepidermal water loss. Methods: The various NLC formulations (A1-A5) were prepared and their particle size, zeta potential, viscosity, and stability were analyzed. The formulations were applied on the forearms of the 20 female volunteers (one forearm of each volunteer was left untreated as a control). The subjects stayed for 30minutes in a conditioned room with their forearms uncovered to let the skin adapt to the temperature (22°C±2°C) and humidity (50%±2%) of the room. Skin hydration and skin occlusion were recorded at day one (before treatment) and day seven (after treatment). Three measurements for skin hydration and skin occlusion were performed in each testing area. Results: NLC formulations with the highest lipid concentration, highest solid lipid concentration, and additional propylene glycol (formulations A1, A2, and A5) showed higher physical stability than other formulations. The addition of propylene glycol into an NLC system helped to reduce the particle size of the NLC and enhanced its long-term physical stability. All the NLC formulations were found to significantly increase skin hydration compared to the untreated controls within 7 days. All NLC formulations exhibited occlusive properties as they reduced the transepidermal water loss within 7 days. This effect was more pronounced with the addition of propylene glycol or lecithin into an NLC formulation, whereby at least 60% reduction in transepidermal water loss was observed. Conclusion: NLCs with high lipid content, solid lipid content, phospholipid, and lecithin are a highly effective cosmetic delivery system for cosmetic topical applications that are designed to boost skin hydration

Petroselinum crispumhas antioxidant properties, protects against DNA damage and inhibits proliferation and migration of cancer cells

BACKGROUND: Petroselinum crispum (English parsley) is a common herb of the Apiaceae family that is cultivated throughout the world and is widely used as a seasoning condiment. Studies have shown its potential as a medicinal herb. In this study, P. crispum leaf and stem extracts were evaluated for their antioxidant properties, protection against DNA damage in normal 3T3-L1 cells, and the inhibition of proliferation and migration of the MCF-7 cells. RESULTS: The dichloromethane extract of P. crispum exhibited the highest phenolic content (42.31 ± 0.50 mg GAE g-1) and ferric reducing ability (0.360 ± 0.009 mmol g-1) of the various extractions performed. The extract showed DPPH radical scavenging activity with an IC50 value of 3310.0 ± 80.5 μg mL-1. Mouse fibroblasts (3T3-L1) pre-treated with 400 μg mL-1 of the extract showed 50.9% protection against H2O2-induced DNA damage, suggesting its potential in cancer prevention. The extract (300 μg mL-1) inhibited H2O2-induced MCF-7 cell migration by 41% ± 4%. As cell migration is necessary for metastasis of cancer cells, inhibition of migration is an indication of protection against metastasis. CONCLUSION: Petroselinum crispum has health-promoting properties with the potential to prevent oxidative stress-related diseases and can be developed into functional food