Effective Transcutaneous Delivery of Hyaluronic Acid Using an Easy-to-Prepare Reverse Micelle Formulation

Abstract

<jats:p>The skin loses its moisture with advancing age, causing cosmetic issues such as wrinkles. In addition, the loss of moisture leads to hypersensitivity to external stimuli such as UV light. Transcutaneous supplementation with hyaluronic acid (HA) is an effective and safe method of recovering the moisturizing function and elasticity of the skin. However, the transcutaneous delivery of HA remains challenging owing to the barrier function of the stratum corneum (SC) layer. To penetrate the SC barrier, we used a reverse micelle formulation that does not require high energy consumption processes for preparation. We aimed to enhance the skin permeability of HA by incorporating glyceryl monooleate—a skin permeation enhancer—into the formulation. A fluorescently-labeled HA-loaded reverse micelle formulation showed significantly enhanced permeation across Yucatan micro pig skin. Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy of the surface of the skin treated with the reverse micelle formulation showed blue shifts of the CH2 symmetric/asymmetric stretching peaks, indicating a reduction in the barrier function of the SC. Further study revealed that HA was released from the reverse micelles at the hydrophobic/hydrophilic interface between the SC and the living epidermis. The results demonstrated that our reverse micellar system is an easy-to-prepare formulation for the effective transcutaneous delivery of HA.</jats:p>

Water‐in‐oil microemulsions composed of monoolein enhanced the transdermal delivery of nicotinamide

“…Such a preparation method was only applicable to nicotinamide, and not to the large molecule: hyaluronic acids (~8000 Da). The water‐in‐oil microemulsions containing hyaluronic acid required isopropyl alcohol as a co‐surfactant and monoolein in the previous report [12]. First, we examined the effects of water concentration on the microemulsions.…”

“…Because the SC is hydrophobic, however, we assumed that oil‐based formulations can deliver hydrophilic drugs through the SC into the hydrophilic inner layers in the skin [11]. Previous studies have reported that reverse micelles composed of quaternary monoolein–water–isopropanol–isopropyl myristate systems efficiently delivered hydrophilic peptides and hyaluronic acids into the skin [12, 13]. In another study, monoolein enhanced the skin permeation of proteins eluted from powders dispersed in an oil vehicle [14].…”

Film Forming Systems for Delivery of Active Molecules into and across the Skin

“…Structurally, the hydrophilic groups of the surfactant represent the interior core of these associates, and the hydrophobic ones face the external (non-aqueous) medium. These systems have been studied for dermal or transdermal delivery of active molecules including Insulin [ 31 ], Imatinib mesylate [ 32 ], Hydrophilized Melanoma Antigen Peptide [ 33 ] and Hyaluronic acid [ 34 ]. Incorporating drugs in reverse micelles could lead to sustained drug release.…”

Nanotechnology for Effective Epilation: Assessment of the Application of a Protease-Containing Microemulsion

“…From the study participants, 83.3% (25) found that using the microemulsion resulted in a slower regrowth rate of the hair after epilation (rating "good" (+) or "very good" (++)) (Figure 5a). This slower regrowth rate enabled the participants to increase the time period between the next epilation.…”

“…They have been employed in various applications as excellent carriers for bioactive compounds, such as peptides, collagen, or hyaluronic acid. They have the capability to shield these molecules from environmental stresses, thereby preserving their functionality [23][24][25]. It has been reported that enzymes can effectively maintain or even improve their functionality when encapsulated in both surfactant-free and conventional microemulsions [26][27][28].…”