Naringin nano-ethosomal novel sunscreen creams: Development and performance evaluation

Area of Science:

• Dermatology and Cosmetic Science
• Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery
• Materials Science

Background:

• Long-term UV exposure causes premature aging and skin cancer.
• Current sunscreens (ZnO, TiO2) lack sufficient antioxidant and anti-aging properties.
• Naringin possesses antioxidant properties beneficial for skin health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize ethosomes loaded with naringin.
• To incorporate naringin ethosomes into sunscreen creams with nano-zinc oxide and nano-titanium dioxide.
• To enhance skin penetration and retention of naringin for improved antioxidant effects.

Main Methods:

• Ethosomes were prepared and optimized for ethanol/cholesterol concentration, sonication time, and drug/lipid ratio.
• Evaluations included vesicle size, zeta potential (ZP), polydispersity index (PDI), encapsulation efficiency, and surface morphology.
• Sunscreen creams underwent physicochemical, spreadability, antioxidant, cytotoxicity, and skin permeation tests.

Main Results:

• Optimized ethosomes showed a size of 142.5 nm, PDI of 0.199, ZP of -72.5 mV, and encapsulation efficiency of 33.79%.
• Naringin ethosomes demonstrated significantly higher skin retention (403.44 μg/cm²) compared to naringin suspension (202.81 μg/cm²).
• The optimized sunscreen cream achieved an SPF of 21.21 with minimal naringin permeation, indicating good skin retention.

Conclusions:

• Naringin-loaded ethosomes enhance skin permeation and retention of the antioxidant compound.
• The developed ethosomal sunscreen cream effectively delivers naringin to the skin, offering improved antioxidant and UV protection.
• This formulation holds promise for advanced sun protection with anti-aging and anti-cancer benefits.