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Published on: February 9, 2019
Shaping Lycopene Nanoparticles Performance: How Surfactants Influence Stability, Antioxidant Activity, and Uptake in
Francesca Baldassarre1,2, Chiara Boncristiani3, Michela Ottolini1
1Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies (DiSTeBA), University of Salento, S. P. 6 Lecce-Monteroni SNC, 73100 Lecce, Italy.
Plant-derived antioxidants like lycopene from tomato peel are explored for skincare. Polymeric nanoparticles improve lycopene bioavailability, with Tween 20 enhancing cellular uptake and PVA improving stability.
Area of Science:
- Cosmetic Science
- Materials Science
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Growing demand for natural antioxidants in skincare.
- Phytochemicals face bioavailability and stability challenges.
- Tomato peel extract is a rich source of lycopene, a potent antioxidant.
Purpose of the Study:
- To enhance lycopene bioavailability using poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) nanoparticles.
- To compare the effects of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and Tween 20 surfactants on nanoparticle properties.
- To evaluate the stability, bioactivity, and cellular interactions of lycopene-loaded nanoparticles.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of PLGA nanoparticles encapsulating lycopene using PVA or Tween 20.
- Characterization of colloidal stability via dynamic light scattering.
- Assessment of lycopene retention and antioxidant activity using spectrophotometric assays.
- Evaluation of biological interactions with keratinocyte and melanocyte cell cultures (2D and 3D).
Main Results:
- Both PVA and Tween 20 produced stable lycopene-loaded nanoparticle suspensions.
- Tween 20 yielded superior colloidal stability.
- PVA-stabilized nanoparticles showed better lycopene retention and sustained antioxidant activity.
- Tween 20 facilitated enhanced nanoparticle internalization in human skin spheroids.
- Both formulations demonstrated excellent intracellular antioxidant activity in various skin cell models.
Conclusions:
- PLGA nanoparticles effectively improve lycopene bioavailability for skincare.
- Tween 20 and PVA offer distinct advantages in nanoparticle formulation, impacting stability and cellular uptake.
- Lycopene-loaded nanoparticles exhibit significant potential for topical antioxidant applications in dermatology and cosmetics.
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