Ageing is the phase of gradual decline of body efficiency and metabolic activities after reaching a maturity stage. Free radicals cause oxidative alterations in collagen, elastin material and changes in membrane characteristics and induce polymerization reactions. Use of topical antioxidants can overcome some of these effects and retard actinic ageing. Herbal products are popular due to their minimum risk of side-effects with maximum efficacy. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the antiageing potential of Benincasa hispida fruit extract as not many scientific studies have been carried out to explore its utility as skin renewal enhancer and as an antioxidant. After removing the outer layer and the seeds, the fruit pulp was dried. The dried fruit pulp was extracted successively with petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol by Soxhlation for 2 days. Methanol was recovered under vacuum and a dry extract was obtained (yield 4.2% w/w), which was stored in a desiccator. Suitable topical cream base for effective carriage of fruit extract was developed and its in vitro evaluation for skin renewal activity was tested by application to the stratum corneum of human cadaver skin and by dansyl chloride fluorescence method. The results show that the cream prepared from Benincasa fruit extract may prove as an antiageing preparation and can be used for retarding the symptoms of ageing.

This research work aimed to develop and evaluate proniosomes for the oral delivery of the lipophilic drug Irbesartan (IRB) to improve its solubility and bioavailability. Proniosomes of Irbesartan were formulated using a lipid, surfactant, and carrier by a slurry method. Based on the prepared preliminary trial batches and their evaluation, the formulation was optimized by employing a Box-Behnken design (BBD) in which concentrations of span 60 (X₁), cholesterol (X₂), and mannitol (X₃) were used as three independent variables and the vesicular size (VS) (Y₁), % entrapment efficiency (% EE) (Y₂), and % cumulative drug release (% CDR) (Y₃) were used as dependent variables. The optimized batch B1 was obtained from the BBD experiment after validation of checkpoint analysis, and their characterization was done for VS, % EE, % CDR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The optimized batch showed a VS of 199 ± 5.4 nm, a % EE of 99.25 ± 2.24%, and a % CDR of 97.36 ± 1.13% at 24 h. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) study showed a smooth surface of batch B1. DSC and XRD studies indicated the amorphous nature of the proniosomal formulation. The proniosomal formulation showed increased solubility (2.65 ± 0.2 mg/mL) in phosphate buffer, pH 6.8, as compared to water (0.059 ± 0.02 mg/mL). The pharmacokinetic study in rats confirmed the increased bioavailability of the drug in optimized proniosomal formulation compared with its pure drug suspension. C_max, T_max, and AUC_0-t of the drug also increased by 2-fold compared to those of drug suspension. Thus, in conclusion, the proniosomal formulation proved to be an efficient carrier for improved oral delivery of Irbesartan by improving the solubility and bioavailability of the drug.

In order to overcome some of the drawbacks of traditional formulations, increasing emphasis has recently been paid to lipid-based drug delivery systems. Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) are promising delivery methods, and they hold promise because of their simplicity in production, capacity to scale up, biocompatibility, and biodegradability of formulation components. Other benefits could be connected to a particular route of administration or the makeup of the ingredients being placed into these delivery systems. This article aims to review the significance of solid lipid nanocarriers, their benefits and drawbacks, as well as their types, compositions, methods of preparation, mechanisms of drug release, characterization, routes of administration, and applications in a variety of delivery systems with a focus on their efficacy.