Conventional and herbal active principles can be combined in a beneficial harmony using their best features and compensating for the certain weaknesses of each. The study will answer the question, “how can willow bark extract (Wbe) or ivy leaf extract (Ile) influence the photoprotective, skin permeation and hydration properties of Bioactive Lipid Nanocarriers (BLN) loaded with UV-filters and selected herbals?”. BLN-Wbe/Ile-UV-filters were characterized for particle size, zeta potential, thermal behavior, entrapment efficiency and drug loading. The formulated BLN-hydrogels (HG) were subjected to in vitro release and permeation experiments. The in vitro determination of sun protection factors, as well as comparative in vitro photostability tests, rheology behavior and in vivo hydration status have been also considered for hydrogels containing BLN-Ile/Wbe-UV-filters. Photoprotection of BLN-HG against UVA rays was more pronounced as compared with the UVB (UVA-PF reached values of 30, while the maximum SPF value was 13). The in vitro irradiation study demonstrated the photostability of BLN-HG under UV exposure. A noteworthy cosmetic efficacy was detected by in vivo skin test (hydration effect reached 97% for the BLN-Wbe-UV-filters prepared with pomegranate oil). The research novelty, represented by the first-time co-optation of the active herbal extracts (Wbe and Ile) together with two synthetic filters in the same nanostructured delivery system, will provide appropriate scientific support for the cosmetic industry to design novel marketed formulations with improved quality and health benefices.

Roxadustat (ROX) is an orally active inhibitor of hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase (HIF-PHI) that exerts erythropoietic, cardioprotective, and metabolic regulatory effects. Approved for the treatment of anemia associated with chronic kidney disease, ROX promotes endogenous erythropoietin production and improves iron homeostasis, providing a non-injectable alternative to conventional erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs). Its ability to enhance oxygen transport and facilitate muscle recovery has, however, led to its misuse in sports, where it is classified as a banned substance by the World Anti-Doping Agency. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the pharmacological properties of ROX, its approved and investigational clinical applications, and its chemical synthesis strategies. Particular emphasis is placed on the analytical methodologies employed for ROX detection in anti-doping settings. Techniques such as liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS), ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) are critically assessed for their efficacy in detecting ROX and its metabolites in biological matrices. Given the increasing incidence of ROX misuse among athletes, ongoing optimization of detection protocols and longitudinal monitoring approaches, are essential to uphold both sports integrity and public health.

Background/Objectives: The study aims to investigate an improved version of lipid nanocarriers (NLCs) (formulated with functional coconut butter and marula oil) by designing hyaluronic acid (HA) decorated NLC co-loaded with dual UVA (butyl methoxy dibenzoyl methane, BMDBM), UVB absorbers (ethyl-hexyl-salicylate, EHS) and a Raspberry rich polyphenols fraction (RPRF) for development of more natural NLC-based to-pical formulations. Methods: Quality and quantitative attributes of classic- and HA-NLC have been assigned based on particle size, electrokinetic potential, encapsulation efficiency, spectroscopic characteristics, and high-resolution mass spectrometry. To establish the performance profile of antioxidant activity, release of active substances, sun blocking action, and photostability, in vitro studies were conducted. Results: NLC with an average size of ~150 nm and zeta potentials < −39.5 mV showed 80% and 93.1% of encapsulation efficiency for BMDBM and EHS, and up to 83% for natural RPRF. A long-lasting release of absorbers, with a maximum cumulative release of 2.1% BMDBM and 4.6% EHS was detected. NLC-UV Abs-RPRF-HA assured 72.83% radical scavenging activity. The IC50 for HA-NLC-UV Abs-RPRF was 6.25-fold lower than NLC-UV Abs-HA, which reflects the greater free radical scavenging action. The conditioned NLC–UV Abs-RPRF-HA cream was able to provide a sun protection factor value of 52 and UVA-PF value of 81, which underlines an impressive removal of both categories of UVA and UVB radiation. A significant photoprotective upregulation, four-fold for the topical formulation with NLC-UV Abs-RPRF-HA, resulted after a simulated irradiation process. Conclusions: HA decorated-NLC-conditioned creams might provide a useful platform for developing na-tural and sophisticated dermal delivery systems, for influencing skin permeability, and for synergistically imparting antioxidant and photoprotective actions to cosmetic pro-ducts.

This research evaluates the influence of extraction method, solvent, and processing time on the recovery of phenolic compounds from Eucalyptus globulus leaves and their corresponding antioxidant capacity, through approaches with reduced energy and chemical consumption. Magnetic stirring (MS), and ultrasound- (US) and microwave-assisted (MW) extraction were applied using water or low-ethanol hydroalcoholic systems. Total phenolic content (TPC; Folin–Ciocalteu method) and antioxidant activity (AA; TEAC assay), were assessed to determine the functional properties of the extracts. FT-ICR MS was used to characterize the phytochemical profile. A hydroalcoholic system combined with non-conventional techniques improved extraction efficiency compared to an aqueous system and reduced the processing time. Among the investigated MW conditions, extraction at 360 W for 30 s provided the highest TPC and AA values (252 mg GAE/g DM; 65.67 mg TE/g DM), while US provided maximum TPC of 191 mg GAE/g DM (30 min extraction). MS showed the lowest performance (77 mg GAE/g DM). Phenolic acids, flavonoids, and ellagitannins were assigned across evaluated samples, indicating that the used conditions do not influence the extracts’ qualitative composition. Overall, MW extraction enabled rapid phenolic species recovery under short processing times and low-ethanol conditions, representing a promising approach among the investigated extraction systems.