The comparison study of different additives on the characteristic and performance of ficus deltoidea- loaded niosomes

Abstract

To ensure the effectiveness of any cosmetic formulation, the active ingredients should be able to penetrate the natural barrier of the skin, which is the stratum corneum (SC). In order to ensure that active ingredients penetrate the skin barrier, a carrier must be utilized to carry the active ingredients. The purpose of this study was to develop a stable niosomal delivery system for Ficus deltoidea by using sorbitan monostearate (Span 60) as a surfactant. In addition, cholesterols, ß-sitosterols, and PEG-8 caprylic/capric glycerides (Labrasol) were applied as additives. These vesicles were characterized based on zeta potential, vesicle size distribution, encapsulation efficiency (EE %), niosome morphology, and in-vitro permeation. Following application of Ficus deltoidea loaded niosome on reconstructed human pigmented epidermis, the efficacy of the niosome in reducing melanin level was tested based on the microscopic observation of melanin distribution and measurement of melanin content. The developed niosomes (Span 60/cholesterol/Labrasol and Span 60/ß-sitosterols/Labrasol) were found to be the most stable and promising niosomes after 3 months of storage, as both niosomes preserved their stability in terms of zeta potential, vesicle size and loading capacity. Zeta potential for both niosomes was measured at approximately -30 mV. The vesicle size was found to be in the range of 140 nm to 170 nm and both niosomes had high encapsulation efficiency (87.55 ± 5.35 % and 78.38 ± 0.37 % for Span 60/cholesterol/Labrasol and Span 60/ß-sitosterol/Labrasol niosomes, respectively). These results indicated that ß-sitosterols could also be option as additive since it displayed similar characteristics as cholesterol and the stability of loaded niosomes was improved with the inclusion of Labrasol. This study suggested the potential use of loaded niosome as a stable carrier for delivery of anti-melanogenic effects of Ficus deltoidea.