Candida albicans is a common overgrowth in people wearing dentures. Long-term use of antifungal chemicals carries a risk of toxic side effects. This study focused on the edible Piper betle extract because of its safety. The broth dilution method was applied for antifungal determination of the ethyl acetate fractionated extract (fEA) and fEA-loaded polymeric micelles (PMF). The PMF was prepared by thin-film hydration using poloxamer 407 as a polymer base. The results found that the weight ratio of fEA to polymer is the main factor to obtain PMF system as a clear solution, nanoparticle sizes, narrow size distribution, negative zeta potential, and high entrapment efficiency. The activity of PMF against C. albicans is significantly higher than fEA alone, with a minimum fungicidal concentration of 1.5 mg/mL. PMF from 1:3 ratio of fEA to polymer is used to develop a denture-soaking solution contained 1.5 mg fEA/mL (PMFS). A clinical study on dentures of 15 volunteers demonstrated an 86.1 ± 9.2% reduction of C. albicans after soaking the dentures in PMFS daily for 14 days. Interestingly, PMFS did not change the hardness and roughness of the denture base resins. The developed PMFS may serve as a potential natural denture-soaking solution against candidiasis in denture wearers.

Clinical use of 4-Allylpyrocatechol (APC), a potential antifungal agent from Piper betle, is limited because of its low water solubility. The current study explores the development of the self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) containing APC (APC-SNEDDS) to enhance APC solubility. Results demonstrated that excipient type and concentration played an important role in the solubility of APC in the obtained SNEEDS. SNEDDS, comprising 20% Miglyol 812N, 30% Maisine 35-1, 40% Kolliphor RH40, and 10% absolute ethanol, provided the highest loading capacity and significantly increased water solubility of APC. Oil-in-water nanoemulsions (NE) with droplet sizes of less than 40 nm and a narrow size distribution were obtained after dispersing this APC-SNEDDS in water. The droplets had a negative zeta potential between −10 and −20 mV. The release kinetics of APC from APC-SNEDDS followed the Higuchi model. The NE containing 1.6 mg APC/mL had effective activity against Candida albicans with dose-dependent killing kinetics and was nontoxic to normal cells. The antifungal potential was similar to that of 1 mg nystatin/mL. These findings suggest that APC-SNEDDS are a useful system to enhance the apparent water solubility of APC and are a promising system for clinical treatment of oral infection caused by C. albicans.

Benincasa hispida peel, a type of postconsumer waste, is considered a source of beneficial phytochemicals. Therefore, it was subjected to investigation for biological activities in this study. B. hispida peel was extracted using 95% v/v, 50% v/v ethanol and water. The obtained extracts were B95, B50 and BW. B95 had a high flavonoid content (212.88 ± 4.73 mg QE/g extract) and phenolic content (131.52 ± 0.38 mg GAE/g extract) and possessed high antioxidant activities as confirmed by DPPH, ABTS and lipid peroxidation inhibition assays. Moreover, B95 showed inhibitory effects against collagenase and hyaluronidase with values of 41.68 ± 0.92% and 29.17 ± 0.66%, which related to anti-aging activities. Via the HPLC analysis, one of the potential compounds found in B95 was rutin. Molecular docking has provided an understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the interaction of extracts with collagenase and hyaluronidase. All extracts were not toxic to fibroblast cells and did not irritate the hen’s egg chorioallantoic membrane, which indicated its safe use. In conclusion, B. hispida peel extracts are promising potential candidates for further use as antioxidant and anti-aging agents in the food and cosmetic industries.

Excessive free radicals in the skin cause oxidative stress, damaging cells and leading to aging, melasma, and inflammation. This study developed a liposome system for co-delivering antioxidants to enhance their efficacy in deeper skin layers. Four phenolic compounds were screened for antioxidant activity using DPPH, nitric oxide scavenging, and lipid peroxidation assays. Gallic acid and curcumin, showing the strongest activity, were selected for liposome encapsulation via an emulsification method, with particle size reduction by probe sonication. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for chemical analysis, and particle morphology was examined with transmission electron microscopy. Studies on skin penetration, retention, and release were conducted. The optimized liposome (LP4) had a small particle size (< 150 nm), an unilamellar structure, and high entrapment efficiency (99% gallic acid and 92% curcumin). LP4 promoted effective skin retention of curcumin with slow penetration, while the release of gallic acid and curcumin from LP4 followed a Higuchi kinetic model and Zero-order kinetic model, respectively. This delivery system demonstrates potential for targeted antioxidant delivery, offering enhanced protection against oxidative damage in the skin.

The development of effective cosmetic formulations containing L-ascorbic acid is hindered by its rapid degradation and poor skin permeation. To address these limitations, this study identified an optimal synergistic antioxidant combination to enhance L-ascorbic acid efficacy and encapsulated it within a niosomes to improve stability and skin retention. Among various ratios evaluated via DPPH assays, a 1:1:2:2 combination of L-ascorbic acid, alpha-tocopherol, ferulic acid, and ergothioneine (Mix D) exhibited the highest synergism. Subsequent FRAP, anti-tyrosinase, and anti-aging inhibition assays confirmed that Mix D contributed to skin-brightening and anti-aging efficacy. Consequently, Mix D was encapsulated into niosomes (NI3-3A), initially showing a vesicle size of 130.67 nm and a PDI of 0.11, and an entrapment efficiency of 70.63%. NI3-3A provided exceptional chemical protection, limiting L-ascorbic acid degradation to 25.06% and maintaining an entrapment efficiency of 63.93% over 90 days due to its robust bilayer structure. Furthermore, it exhibited remarkable physicochemical stability, with a vesicle size of 140.27 nm and PDI of 0.09 after 90 days, while achieving a skin retention of 56.91% significantly higher than the unencapsulated solution (11.32%). In conclusion, this niosomal formulation successfully overcomes the stability limitations of L-ascorbic acid, offering a promising active ingredient for the development of advanced skin-brightening and anti-aging topical products.

Background/Objectives: Dihydromyricetin (DHM), a poorly water-soluble flavonoid with potent antioxidant and skin-rejuvenating properties, exhibits limited skin permeation. This study aimed to develop and characterize DHM-loaded in situ film-forming emulsions (FFE) using Eudragit^® RS 100 as the film-forming polymer to enhance skin permeation while minimizing systemic absorption. Methods: FFE formulations, comprising a DHM-loaded lipid mixture and a Eudragit^® RS 100 polymer solution, were developed using a full-factorial design of experiments varying poloxamer 407 (P407) and octyl cyanoacrylate (O60/20)/N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) concentrations to evaluate drying time, elongation at break, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), and dermal permeation. The optimized formulation was further characterized for physicochemical properties, chemical integrity, drug loading, and release behaviour. Results: All formulations were homogeneous and physically stable over 24 h. Drying time was positively influenced by P407 but negatively by O60/20/NMP; P407 reduced dermal permeation, while O60/20/NMP had a biphasic effect without significantly affecting elongation at break and WVTR. The optimized FFE (0.079%w/w O60/20/NMP, without P407) showed rapid drying (2.68 min), elongation >10%, and self-formed nanoscale emulsion droplets from the lipid mixture. FTIR confirmed component compatibility; XRD revealed DHM conversion from a crystalline to an amorphous state. Compared with a system without lipid, FFE exhibited significantly higher moisture content (p < 0.001), a lower swelling index (p = 0.021), comparable occlusive factor (p = 0.68), and followed Higuchi kinetic release. Conclusions: The optimized FFE demonstrated desirable film-forming properties and physicochemical compatibility, offering an innovative formulation strategy with translational potential for topical industries. However, substitution of NMP is recommended for cosmetic formulations.