Elastic cationic liposomes for vitamin C delivery: Development, characterization and skin absorption study

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Dermatology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a vital nutrient with antioxidant properties, but its topical delivery is limited by poor skin penetration.
• Liposomes are effective drug delivery systems, but their ability to enhance vitamin C skin absorption can be modulated by formulation characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of hydrophilic surfactants and membrane elasticity on vitamin C skin absorption using liposomes.
• To compare the efficacy of elastic liposomes (ELs) versus conventional liposomes (CLs) for enhancing vitamin C delivery into the skin.

Main Methods:

• Formulation of cationic liposomes (CLs and ELs) using soybean lecithin, DOTAP, cholesterol, and Polysorbate 80 as an edge activator.
• Characterization of liposomes using dynamic light scattering, electron microscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry, and pore edge tension measurements.
• Assessment of vitamin C skin absorption and delivery using Franz cell diffusion studies and analysis of skin layers.

Main Results:

• Elastic liposomes (ELs) demonstrated increased membrane flexibility due to Polysorbate 80 incorporation.
• Cationic liposomes significantly increased vitamin C encapsulation efficiency by approximately 30%.
• Both CLs and ELs facilitated high delivery of vitamin C into skin layers and acceptor fluid, with no observed toxicity in keratinocytes.

Conclusions:

• Hydrophilic surfactants and increased liposome membrane elasticity enhance vitamin C skin delivery.
• Cationic charge on liposomes improves encapsulation efficacy.
• Skin absorption of vitamin C is driven by liposome properties and potentially by interactions between cationic lipids and vitamin C influenced by skin pH.