Background: Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive compound derived from Cannabis sativa, exhibits therapeutic potential for various conditions, including inflammation, pain, and skin disorders, making it a promising candidate for the topical treatment of psoriasis. However, its poor water solubility and instability limit its therapeutic efficacy. This study focuses on the development and characterization of CBD-loaded nanoemulsions using argan oil as the lipid phase, with and without a chitosan coating, which serves as a stabilizing and functional biopolymer. Methods: Nanoemulsions (NE) and chitosan-stabilized nanoemulsions (CS-NE), both without CBD (serving as controls), and CBD-loaded variants (CBD-NE and CBD-CS-NE) were prepared and characterized for their physicochemical properties, including pH, droplet size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential (ζ-potential), and viscosity at various shear rates and temperatures. Stability was assessed over time, and drug release behavior was investigated through in vitro diffusion and ex vivo skin permeation studies, followed by kinetic modeling. Safety was evaluated through in vitro cytotoxicity assays using HaCaT keratinocyte cells, as well as in vivo toxicity studies using Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Results: The chitosan-coated formulations exhibited enhanced physical stability, nanoscale droplet size, a positive surface charge, and increased viscosity. Release studies demonstrated that CBD-CS-NE enabled controlled and sustained drug release, with a strong correlation to the Higuchi model, indicating diffusion-controlled permeation. Cytotoxicity assays indicated that CBD-CS-NE was non-toxic to cultured cells, while in vivo testing with C. elegans revealed sensitivity to chitosan-coated systems. Conclusions: These findings highlight the potential of CBD-loaded argan oil nanoemulsions, particularly those stabilized with chitosan, as potential topical delivery systems for managing psoriasis.

This study evaluates the potential role of two extracts derived from green and roasted coffee in managing Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). The phytochemical analysis revealed that the roasted coffee extract (RCE) contains higher levels of flavonoids and tannins, while the green coffee extract (GCE) seems to be richer in phenolic acids. No differences in the antioxidant activity of both extracts were observed. The study demonstrated that GCE exhibits stronger prebiotic potential by significantly enhancing the growth of beneficial probiotic bacteria when compared to the untreated sample. Both extracts inhibited α-amylase and α-glucosidase enzymes, with RCE demonstrating a better performance than other commercial treatments for T2D. Glucose uptake assays on yeast cells demonstrated that both extracts enhance glucose transport, particularly at low glucose concentrations, reducing supernatant glucose levels by 60–80%. Notably, GCE maintained its effectiveness even at the highest glucose concentrations tested. These findings suggest that coffee extracts, particularly GCE, may be useful as nutraceuticals for potentially regulating glucose metabolism and gut microbiota in T2D management.

An integrated Quality by Design (QbD) approach was developed for the systematic optimization of Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus L. extraction and its subsequent incorporation into liposomal formulations. A D-optimal design was initially applied to evaluate the influence of extraction method, plant material-to-solvent ratio, and ethanol concentration on total phenolic and flavonoid contents. The optimization identified ultrasound-assisted extraction using 70% ethanol at a plant material-to-solvent ratio of 1:50 as the optimal extraction condition. Phytochemical profiling of the optimized plant extract by LC–TIMS-HRMS/MS led to the putative annotation of 47 metabolites, predominantly hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives and flavonoids. The second D-optimal design elucidated the combined effects of formulation composition and ultrasonic processing and identified an extract-to-phospholipid ratio of 1:0.84 (w/w), a phospholipid-to-cholesterol ratio of 1:0.42 (w/w), and probe sonication for 16.73 min as the conditions providing the most favorable balance among particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), encapsulation efficiency (EE), and drug loading. The formulation obtained under these conditions was subsequently evaluated for in vitro release, showing distinct release profiles under the two investigated pH conditions over 24 h, with cumulative phenolic release reaching 68.14 ± 3.68% at pH 7.4 and 53.77 ± 2.99% at pH 5.5. The liposomal formulation obtained under optimized conditions, with a particle size of 224.1 ± 1.9 nm, a PDI of 0.206 ± 0.014, and an EE of 75.95 ± 0.24%, was lyophilized with 5% (w/v) mannitol, with its key physicochemical attributes preserved upon reconstitution. Long-term stability assessment over 12 months showed that the reconstituted lyophilized liposomes retained a particle size below 300 nm, a PDI below 0.30, and an EE above 73%, while TEM analysis confirmed preservation of vesicular morphology. Preliminary cytocompatibility assessment in adult human dermal fibroblasts further indicated a more favorable cellular response to the liposomal formulation than to the free extract. These findings demonstrate the applicability of a systematic approach integrating extract optimization with liposomal formulation development for C. cardunculus var. scolymus extract-loaded liposomes.