Chitosonic Acid as a Novel Cosmetic Ingredient: Evaluation of its Antimicrobial, Antioxidant and Hydration Activities.

Chitosonic Acid, carboxymethyl hexanoyl chitosan, is a novel chitosan material that has recently been accepted by the Personal Care Products Council as a new cosmetic ingredient with the INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) name Carboxymethyl Caprooyl Chitosan. In this study, we analyze several important cosmetic characteristics of Chitosonic Acid. Our results demonstrate that Chitosonic Acid is a water-soluble chitosan derivative with a high HLB value. Chitosonic Acid can form a nano-network structure when its concentration is higher than 0.5% and can self-assemble into a nanosphere structure when its concentration is lower than 0.2%. Chitosonic Acid has potent antimicrobial activities against gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria and fungus. Chitosonic Acid also has moderate DPPH radical scavenging activity. Additionally, Chitosonic Acid exhibits good hydration activity for absorbing and retaining water molecules with its hydrophilic groups. From a safety point of view, Chitosonic Acid has no cytotoxicity to L-929 cells if its concentration is less than 0.5%. Moreover, Chitosonic Acid has good compatibilities with various normal cosmetic ingredients. Therefore, we propose that Chitosonic Acid has the potential to be a widely used ingredient in various types of cosmetic products.