Adeline Delaporte, Michel Grisel, Ecaterina Gore
Normandie Univ, URCOM UR 3221, Université Le Havre Normandi, Le Havre, France.
Int J Cosmet Sci. 2025 Apr;47(2):383-397. doi: 10.1111/ics.13035. Epub 2024 Dec 23.
Vitamin E, in the form of α-tocopherol (TOCO), is an essential lipophilic antioxidant widely used in topical formulations. However, incorporating pure TOCO into skincare products poses significant challenges due to its limited solubility and high sensitivity to heat, light and oxidation. The present cross-sectional study aimed to innovate by encapsulating TOCO using non-animal sustainable biopolymers through complex coacervation and to investigate the interaction of these coacervates with cosmetic emulsions, focusing on their impact on the emulsions' physicochemical properties and stability.
TOCO was encapsulated using the complex coacervation technique by combining two biopolymers: fungal chitosan and gum Arabic. The designed microcapsules were incorporated into oil-in-water emulsions containing natural ingredients, and the physicochemical properties as well as the stability of the formulations were evaluated and compared to those of non-encapsulated TOCO emulsions.
Innovative coacervates of the non-animal TOCO complex of 86.8 ± 3.5 μm were developed, achieving a high encapsulation efficiency and loading of 87.0% and 27.2%, respectively. The microcapsules exhibited thermal stability up to a temperature of 220°C and showed improved storage stability of the active ingredient when encapsulated. In particular, 63% of TOCO was retained over 2 months at a temperature of 40°C. Emulsions containing microcapsules showed increased particle size distribution, higher viscosity, and enhanced viscoelastic properties, in accordance with their textural properties. Both emulsions remained stable for a 1-month storage period at a temperature of 40°C, and no noticeable effect of coacervates on the stability of TOCO in the emulsions was observed.
This study emphasises the potential of fungal chitosan-gum Arabic coacervates as a sustainable substitute for animal-derived coacervates, demonstrating promising outcomes for the encapsulation of lipophilic actives. When incorporated into cosmetic emulsions, these coacervates enhanced the textural and rheological properties while preserving the TOCO stability over time. These findings suggest that the developed microcapsules offer considerable potential for the development of future skin-care products with enhanced functional properties.
维生素E以α-生育酚（TOCO）的形式存在，是一种必需的亲脂性抗氧化剂，广泛用于局部用制剂中。然而，由于其溶解度有限以及对热、光和氧化的高敏感性，将纯TOCO纳入护肤品中面临重大挑战。本横断面研究旨在通过复凝聚法使用非动物可持续生物聚合物包裹TOCO进行创新，并研究这些凝聚层与化妆品乳液的相互作用，重点关注它们对乳液物理化学性质和稳定性的影响。
通过结合两种生物聚合物：真菌壳聚糖和阿拉伯胶，使用复凝聚技术包裹TOCO。将设计好的微胶囊纳入含有天然成分的水包油乳液中，并评估制剂的物理化学性质和稳定性，并与未包裹TOCO的乳液进行比较。
开发出了非动物TOCO复合物的创新凝聚层，其直径为86.8±3.5μm，分别实现了87.0%和27.2%的高包封率和载药量。微胶囊在高达220°C的温度下表现出热稳定性，并且包裹后活性成分的储存稳定性得到改善。特别是，在40°C的温度下，2个月内63%的TOCO得以保留。含有微胶囊的乳液根据其质地特性显示出粒径分布增加、粘度更高和粘弹性增强。两种乳液在40°C的温度下储存1个月均保持稳定，并且未观察到凝聚层对乳液中TOCO稳定性有明显影响。
本研究强调了真菌壳聚糖-阿拉伯胶凝聚层作为动物源凝聚层的可持续替代品的潜力，证明了包裹亲脂性活性成分的前景良好。当纳入化妆品乳液中时，这些凝聚层增强了质地和流变学性质，同时随着时间的推移保持了TOCO的稳定性。这些发现表明，所开发的微胶囊为开发具有增强功能特性的未来护肤品提供了巨大潜力。
