Gabriela Badea

The aim of this study was to obtain lipid nanoparticles with appropriate characteristics, in terms of mean particle size and stability, for the co-encapsulation of two kinds of sunscreens. For this purpose, the surfactant and liquid lipid composition and concentration have been varied in order to obtain solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs). Lipid nanoparticles were produced by using a modified melt emulsification method coupled with high shear homogenization. The optimized lipid nanoparticles have been loaded with butyl-methoxydibenzoylmethane and octocrylene and were characterized by dynamic light scattering technique and differential scanning calorimetry. Their in vitro UV blocking ability has been also determined.

The paper aims at obtaining lipid nanostructures based on basil oil to be used in the encapsulation process of some bioactive compounds. In order to assure a high degree of homogenization, two adequate techniques have been successively applied: high shear homogenization (HSH) and high pressure homogenization (HPH). The synthesis procedure has been optimized by following four consecutive stages in which a series of relevant parameters have been monitored: working pressure and number of HPH cycles, HSH time exposure, concentration of surfactant, induction period for pre-emulsion formation, and proportion of lipids within lipid mixture. The lipid nanostructures thus obtained will be further used as efficient carriers to encapsulate various ingredients with antifungal action.

ABSTRACT The combination of basil oil, natural antifungal, and nystatin has the potential to prevent the extension of topical fungal infections towards systemic infections. The aim of this study was to develop formulations based on basil oil and nystatin with the desired antifungal and antioxidant activity and low toxicity by using lipid nanocarriers. The synthesized nanocarriers showed spherical and homogeneous particles with main diameters less than 150 nm, as determined by TEM. The scanning calorimetric study revealed an imperfect crystallization in the core of lipid nanocarriers. Quantitative results suggested that basil oil concentration affects encapsulation efficiency. The prepared nanocarriers guaranteed an increased nystatin encapsulation by using 3% basil oil content. Chemiluminescence assay proved that the protective activity against oxygen free radicals was influenced by nystatin concentration. The in vitro antifungal studies revealed a better activity of the nanocarriers loaded with 1% nystatin in comparison with 0.5% loading.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is one of the commonest malignancies occurred on sun-exposed skin, mainly by UV-B radiation, of lighter-skinned individuals. The aim of the present study was to develop advanced drug delivery formulations used in BCC therapy that overcomes chemotherapy-induced side-effects of skin photosensitivity by an integrative approach of nanoencapsulation in conjunction with combination therapy that uses chemotherapeutic, chemoprotective and sunscreen agents. The combination of anticancer drug together with sunscreen agent is very useful in therapy, especially for individuals who are more exposed to the sun without using a sunscreen. Nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) employed as drug delivery systems were co-loaded with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), a hydrophilic chemotherapeutic drug, and ethylhexyl salicylate (EHS), a lipophilic UV-B sunscreen agent. The NLCs were developed using bioactive squalene (50.8% w/w) from amaranth seed oil as chemoprotective agent. By varying the concentrations of 5-FU and EHS, the co-loaded NLCs presented particle sizes of about 100nm, acceptable physical stability with values smaller than -25mV and appropriate entrapment efficiency that reaches values over 65% for both types of drugs. The UV-B blocking ability of EHS loaded into NLCs were influenced by the concentration of 5-FU. The amaranth oil offered a capacity of 70% in scavenging the free radicals. In vitro drug release showed that NLCs presented sustained release of 5-FU that followed the Fick's law of diffusion.

The coencapsulation of two UV filters, butyl-methoxydibenzoylmethane (BMDBM) and octocrylene (OCT), into lipid nanocarriers was explored to develop stable cosmetic formulations with broad-spectrum photoprotection and slow release properties. Different types of nanocarriers in various concentrations of the two UV filters were tested to find the combination with the best absorption and release properties. Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) have been the two types of lipid nanocarriers used. The NLCs were based on either medium chain triglycerides (MCT) or squalene (Sq). The following physicochemical properties of the nanocarriers have been evaluated: particle size, morphology, zeta potential (ZP), entrapment efficiency, loading capacity, and thermal behavior. The nanocarriers have been formulated into creams containing low amounts of UV filters (2.5% BMDBM and 1% OCT). The best photoprotection results were obtained with the cream based on NLCs prepared with MCT, having a sun protection factor (SPF) of 17.2 and an erythemal UVA protection factor (EUVA-PF) of 50.8. The photostability of the encapsulated BMDBM filter was confirmed by subjecting the nanocarriers-based creams to in vitro irradiation. The prolonged UV-protection efficacy was coupled with a slow in vitro release of the synthetic UV filters, which followed the Higuchi release model.

The aim of the present study was to obtain efficient lipid nanoparticles loaded with butyl-methoxydibenzoylmethane (BMDBM) in order to develop cosmetic formulations with enhanced UVA blocking effect. For this purpose, two adequate liquid lipids (medium chain triglycerides and squalene) have been used in combination with two solid lipids (cetyl palmitate and glyceryl stearate) in order to create appropriate nanostructured carriers with a disordered lipid network able to accommodate up to 1.5% BMDBM. The lipid nanoparticles (LNs) were characterized in terms of particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, loading capacity and in vitro UVA blocking effect. The efficiency of lipid nanoparticles in developing some cosmetic formulations has been evaluated by determining the in vitro erythemal UVA protection factor. In order to quantify the photoprotective effect, some selected cream formulations based on BMDBM-LNs and a conventional emulsion were exposed to photochemical UV irradiation at a low energy to simulate the solar energy during the midday. The results obtained demonstrated the high ability of cream formulations based on BMDBM-LNs to absorb more than 96% of UVA radiation. Moreover, the developed cosmetic formulations manifest an enhanced UVA blocking effect, the erythemal UVA protection factor being four times higher than those specific to conventional emulsions.

The vegetable oils and extracts known for their beneficial effects should be identified and used in various forms for the development of new healthy products. This study was designed to provide further investigation on new nanocarriers made with hempseed oil or a blend of amaranth and hempseed oils, for a concomitant encapsulation and release of the carotenoids enriched plant extract. The size of plant extract loaded lipid nanocarriers ranging between 109 and 130 nm was found to be less influenced by the different ratios of hempseed and amaranth oils. For all of the synthesized nanocarriers, zeta potential values were negative (−33.4 ÷ −38.1 mV). The scanning calorimetry study has shown that lipid nanocarriers have favorable lattice defects for plant extract encapsulation. Entrapment efficiency results revealed an increase of carotenoids entrapment from 57.6 to 83.5% as the amaranth oil percent has been increased. High ability to scavenge the free oxygenated radicals was distinguish...

This study presents the distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) among aquatic compartments of three fish production farms located in Eastern part of Romania. A number of four fish culture species generically named as cyprinid species have been ...

Due to their unique features, most nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) in association with vegetable oils that exhibit UV filtering properties and bioactivity could be used in many cosmetic formulations. Therefore, in this work, a new application of pomegranate seed oil (PSO) in the cosmetic sector was developed, based on the synthesis of bioactive lipid nanocarriers loaded with various UV filters by the hot high pressure homogenization technique. To get broad spectrum photoprotection, different UVA and UVB filters have been used (Avobenzone — AVO, Octocrylen-OCT, Bemotrizinol — BEMT). The influence of the solid lipids combined with PSO on the particle size, physical stability and entrapment efficiency was investigated using 8 nanocarrier systems. An improved physical stability and an appropriate size were obtained for NLCs prepared with Emulgade, carnauba wax and PSO (e.g. −30.9÷-36.9 mV and 160÷185 nm). NLCs showed an entrapment efficiency above 90% and assured slow release rates...

This paper aims to encapsulate into solid lipid nanoparticles a mixture of two bioactive compounds, a photoprotective agent and an antioxidant compound. The co-encapsulation effect of octocrylene sunscreen and flavonoid (luteolinon) has been studied on the specific properties like antioxidant activity, sun protection factor and photostability. Using the high preasure homogenization technique lipid nanoparticles with diameters between 109-132 nm and a polidispersity index between 0.18-0.3 have been obtained. The results obtained shown that adding a photoprotective agent along with the antioxidant compound does not diminish the antioxidant capacity. By measuring the sun protection properties, for a concentration of 1.25 % octocrylene encapsulated in solid lipid nanoparticles and formulated into a cream base, values of sun protection factor higher than 30 have been determined, this meaning that these materials assure good photoprotection. All the results obtained lead to conclusion tha...