Over the last decades, we have witnessed an increasing interest in food-related products containing vegetable oils. These oils can be obtained either by extraction or by mechanical pressing of different parts of plants (e.g., seeds, fruit, and drupels). Producers of nutraceuticals have ceaselessly searched for unique and effective natural ingredients. The enormous success of argan oil has been followed by discoveries of other interesting vegetable oils (e.g., pomegranate oil) containing several bioactives. This work describes the pomegranate fruit extract and seed oil as a rich source of conjugated linolenic acid as a metabolite of punicic acid (PA), deriving from the omega-5 family (ω-5). Through the chemical characterization of PA, its nutritional and therapeutic properties are highlighted together with the physiological properties that encourage its use in human nutrition. We analyzed the composition of all fatty acids with beneficial properties occurring in pomegranate seed oil using gas chromatography (GC) with flame-ionization detection (FID) analysis combined with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Pomegranate seed oil mainly consists of 9,11,13-octadic-trienoic acid (18:3), corresponding to 73 wt % of the total fatty acids. Nine components were identified by GC in PSO, varying between 0.58 and 73.19 wt %. Using midinfrared (MIR) spectroscopy, we compared the composition of pomegranate seed oil with that of meadowfoam seed oil (MSO), which is also becoming increasingly popular in the food industry due to its high content of long chain fatty acids (C20-22), providing increased oil stability. From the results of FTIR and MIR spectroscopy, we found that punicic acid is unique in PSO (73.19 wt %) but not in MSO.

Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) incorporated with retinol and oligopeptide can have a full spectrum of effects on the skin as a compatible combination of ingredients with broad anti-aging properties. The research’s main objective was to ensure the stability of lipid nanocarriers containing retinol and peptide due to the planned use of this dispersion as a cosmetic raw material. To confirm the effectiveness of method optimization (high shear homogenization, HSH) and proper selection of substrates, SLN dispersions were obtained in three combinations: 1—non-incorporated SLNs; 2—SLNs containing only retinol; 3—SLNs containing retinol and pentapeptide-18; these were then stored at different temperatures (4, 25, 45 °C) for 4 weeks. The desired values of the physicochemical parameters of the optimized dispersion of lipid nanoparticles incorporated with retinol and oligopeptide over the required storage period were confirmed: mean particle size (Z-Ave) = 134.7 ± 0.3 nm; polydispersity index (PDI) = 0.269 ± 0.017 [−]; zeta potential (ZP) = 42.7 ± 1.2 mV (after 4 weeks at 25 °C). The results confirmed the proper selection of the SLN production method and the effectiveness of the optimization performed. The possibility of using the obtained raw material as an ingredient in cosmetic products with anti-aging properties was indicated.

One possibility of improving active ingredient penetration into deeper skin layers to enhance the cosmetic product effectiveness, is the application of lipid nanoparticles. The aim of the study presented in this paper was to evaluate the potential of hydrogel formulations enriched with iridoid glycosides-loaded lipid nanoparticles. Lipid nanocarriers were produced using an emulsification-ultrasonication method based on multiple emulsions. The encapsulation efficiency was determined at the level of 89% and 77% for aucubin and catalpol, respectively. The next stage was the incorporation of the obtained dispersions of lipid nanoparticles into hydrogel formulations, followed by determination of their physicochemical properties, shelf-life stability, and application properties (in vivo tests). The introduction of lipid nanoparticles increased the stabilization of the consistency of the obtained hydrogel formulations, and was confirmed by viscosity measurements. No effect of lipid nanoparticle incorporation on shelf-life stability of the hydrogels was detected. In vivo studies showed improvements in moisture content of the epidermis, transepidermal water loss, skin topography, and macrorelief parameters. In particular, a synergistic effect of the active ingredients and lipid nanoparticles on the anti-wrinkle effect, moisturizing effect, and regeneration of the protective barrier of the stratum corneum was evidenced. The attractiveness of aucubin and catalpol as cosmetic raw materials in hydrogel formulations was evidenced, especially when the iridoid glycosides were applied in the form of lipid nanoparticles.

Lipid nanocarriers smaller than 200 nm may be used as pharmaceutical/cosmetic raw materials as they are able to penetrate the skin. The nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) based on microalgae oil (Schizochytrium) and lipids extracted from diatoms (Halamphora cf. salinicola (strain SZCZM1454A)) were produced by the HSH (high shear homogenization) method. Fatty acid profile of crude oil from diatoms indicated the presence of palmitoleic, palmitic, stearic acid, oleic and myristic acids as the most common fatty acids in the strain investigated. The quantitative composition and the synthesis condition of NLC dispersions were optimized by using the full factorial designs. The physicochemical parameters of the obtained lipid nanocarriers were characterized by SEM, DSC and XRD measurements and the fraction with the optimum parameters (size below 200 nm, polydispersity index not exceeding 0.2 and zeta potential higher than +45 mV) was selected for further study. The positive charge of the obtained lipid nanoparticles is beneficial as permits electrostatic bonding with the negatively charged skin surface. As follows from stability tests, the NLCs obtained could be stored at room temperature.