CHHATTISGARH, India—UV radiation generates reactive oxygen species, leading to adverse effects on skin properties. Botanical extracts are multifunctional in nature having various properties such as photo protection, anti-aging, moisturizing, antioxidant, astringent, anti-irritant and antimicrobial activity. Therefore, researchers formulated creams with Curcuma longa extract in novel vesicular systems (liposomes, ethosomes and transfersomes) and studied their photo-protective effect by assessment of skin hydration and sebum content (J Cosm Dermatol. 2011;10(4):260-65).
The alcoholic C. longa extract loaded liposomes, ethosomes and transfersomes having 0.5 to 2 percent w/w extract were prepared, evaluated for size, entrapment efficiency and incorporated into the cream. Their long-term interaction with skin (six weeks) was compared in terms of their effects on skin hydration and sebum content.
Vesicular size obtained was in the range 167.3 ± 3.0 to 262.4 ± 2.4 nm with low polydispersity index (0.2 to 0.3) and high entrapment efficiency. Efficacy was highest in transfersomal creams, ethosomal creams, liposomal creams, the cream alone, empty transfersome loaded cream, empty ethosome loaded cream, empty liposome loaded cream and base cream, respectively.
The photo-protective properties of the constituents of Curcuma longa extract; and hydrant, moisturizing lipid components of nanovesicles with better skin penetration resulted in improvement in skin properties such as skin hydration and sebum content. The herbal extract-loaded nanovesicles incorporated in cream could be used as photo-protective formulations
