Biopolymer- and Natural Fiber-Based Biomimetic Tissues to Realize Smart Cosmeceuticals and Nutraceuticals Using an Innovative Approach

Abstract

More sustainable and smart cosmeceuticals and nutraceuticals are necessary due to the ecological transition. In this study, a pullulan-based water solution containing chitin nanofibril–nano-lignin (CN-LG) complexes that encapsulate fish collagen polypeptide, allantoin and nicotinamide was electrospun onto a nonwoven substrate made of bamboo fibers to obtain a smart nanostructured bilayer system for releasing active molecules onto the skin or other body tissues. Infrared spectroscopy was used to characterize the composition of the bilayer system before and after rapid washing of the sample with distilled water and liquids mimicking physiological fluids. The viability of keratinocytes was studied as well as the antioxidant activity, protective activity towards UV light, metalloproteinase release of aged fibroblasts and the inhibitor activity against collagen degradation. Immunomodulatory tests were performed to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of the bilayer system as well as its indirect antimicrobial activity. The results indicate that the bilayer system can be used in the production of innovative sustainable cosmeceuticals. In general, the adopted strategy can be extended to several smart treatments for fast release that can be commercialized as solid products, thus avoiding the use of preservatives and water.

Smart Tissue Carriers for Innovative Cosmeceuticals and Nutraceuticals

“…Thus, every strategy and/or scaffold that are able to manipulate the cell-ECM interactions, including the following proposed tissue carriers, may be useful for easily repairing diseases, wounds and burn' alterations, as well as for modifying and slowing down the superficial fine lines and wrinkles that appear on prematurely aged skin. Due to this purpose, the following proposal of using tissue carriers as scaffolding/vehicles for innovative cosmeceuticals and nutraceuticals seems to be a useful strategy for repairing wound and burn alterations, as well as for slowing down superficial fine lines and wrinkles by regenerating and rejuvenating their altered structures [3,50,[54][55][56][57][58]. As a consequence, the necessity of using innovative biopolymers, carriers and tissues, via mimicking the ECM network, may be useful for producing smart cosmeceuticals and nutraceuticals that are characterized by their effectiveness and safeness [3,51,[54][55][56][57][58].…”

“…Due to this purpose, the following proposal of using tissue carriers as scaffolding/vehicles for innovative cosmeceuticals and nutraceuticals seems to be a useful strategy for repairing wound and burn alterations, as well as for slowing down superficial fine lines and wrinkles by regenerating and rejuvenating their altered structures [3,50,[54][55][56][57][58]. As a consequence, the necessity of using innovative biopolymers, carriers and tissues, via mimicking the ECM network, may be useful for producing smart cosmeceuticals and nutraceuticals that are characterized by their effectiveness and safeness [3,51,[54][55][56][57][58].…”

“…According to our experience, these new cosmetic nutraceuticals have shown the ability to load and carry natural ingredients, and they can release them at the designated skin layers, dose and time because they realized by the production of innovative tissues, thereby functioning as smart carriers for the cosmetic and diet supplements of a new generation [3,[54][55][56][57][58]. These tissue carriers are considered smart due to having the ability to modify their penetration activity in relation to the polymers and active ingredients used [3,[54][55][56][57][58].…”

“…The use of different chitin nanofibril-nanolignin (CN-LG) complexes consisting of nanostructured micro-particles are differentiated by the encapsulation of various active ingredients, which are bound to the tissue fibers, and this results in the effective amelioration and repair of the skin affected by wounds and burns or those who have precociously aged [55,56,59]. These tissues seem able to transmit the biochemical signals that are useful for sequestering, preventing and orienting the many morpho regulatory molecules necessary for skin cells, which are differentiated by attachment and growth [3,[53][54][55][56].…”

“…More recently [3], CN-LG complexes were incorporated into pullulan tissue that was deposited via electrospinning as a nanostructured tissue on a non-woven bamboo. This bilayer system was characterized before and after the rapid washing of the sample with distilled water and liquids mimicking physiological fluids.…”