Liposomal Formulations to Improve Antioxidant Power of Myrtle Berry Extract for Potential Skin Application

Abstract

Many substances in plant extracts are known for their biological activities. These substances act in different ways, exerting overall protective effects against many diseases, especially skin disorders. However, plant extracts’ health benefits are often limited by low bioavailability. To overcome these limitations, drug delivery systems can be employed. In this study, we evaluated the antioxidant power of an ethanolic extract from Myrtus communis L. (myrtle) berries through colorimetric tests (DPPH and FRAP). The antioxidant activity was also verified by using fibroblast cell culture through cellular Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) levels measurements. Moreover, the myrtle extract was formulated in phospholipid vesicles to improve its bioavailability and applicability. Myrtle liposomes were characterized by size, surface charge, storage stability, and entrapment efficiency; visualized by using cryo-TEM images; and assayed for cytocompatibility and anti-ROS activity. Our results suggest that myrtle liposomes were cytocompatible and improved the extract’s antioxidant power in fibroblasts, suggesting a potential skin application for these formulations and confirming that nanotechnologies could be a valid tool to enhance plant extracts’ potentialities.

A Nanotechnological Approach to Exploit and Enhance the Bioactivity of an Extract from Onopordum illyricum L. Leaves

“…At this concentration, extract-loaded liposomes provided a 50% reduction, and at a 5 μg/mL concentration, ROS levels were comparable with those recorded in non-treated cells. A similar enhancement of the antioxidant activity of a plant extract was demonstrated by De Luca et al [ 34 ]. The authors reported that basal intracellular ROS levels were restored in stressed skin cells when Myrtus communis L. extract liposomes were used.…”

“…Quantitative analysis of targeted phenolic compounds was carried out using a modified HPLC-DAD method, as described by De Luca et al [ 34 ] using an Agilent 1260 Infinity II HPLC system (Agilent Technologies) fitted with a pump module G7111A, an autosampler module G7129A, a thermostatted HPLC column compartment G7116A (30 ± 1 °C), and an Agilent G4212B photodiode array detector. The separation was obtained with a Kinetex EVO C18 column (150 × 4.60 mm, 2.6 μm, Phenomenex, Casalecchio di Reno, Bologna, Italy) using 0.22 M phosphoric acid (solvent A) and acetonitrile (solvent B) as the mobile phase, at a constant flow rate of 0.8 mL/min.…”

Euphorbia characias Extract: Inhibition of Skin Aging-Related Enzymes and Nanoformulation

“…The identification and quantification of phenolic compounds in the E. characias extract were performed by HPLC-DAD analysis, as described by De Luca et al [ 19 ], using a 1260 Infinity II HPLC system (Agilent Technologies, Cernusco sul Naviglio, Milan, Italy). A Kinetex EVO C18 column (150 × 4.6 mm, 2.6 μm, Phenomenex, Casalecchio di Reno, Bologna, Italy) was used, with a mobile phase consisting of 0.22 M phosphoric acid and acetonitrile mixed with gradient elution.…”

Formulation of silymarin surface modified vesicles: In vitro characterization to cell viability assessment

“…It can modulate the drug release and protect the drug from the rapid degradation ( Melchior et al, 2023 , Moya-Garcia et al, 2023 ). The beneficial effects of natural bioactive compound may be limited by their poor bioavailability and stability ( Asmaa et al, 2023 , De Luca et al, 2022 ) . The lipid vesicles can be successfully developed to improve the bioavailability, stability, prevents the degradation, and retain their antioxidant action ( Guimaraes et al, 2021 ) .…”