Rui Farinha

Portugal

Scaling up of a nanoformulation loaded with bioactive compounds for skin aging prevention

Rui P. Farinha1, Joana A. Loureiro2, 3, 4

1 R&D, BNanoTech, Porto, Portugal
2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
3 LEPABE – Laboratory for Process Engineering, Environment, Biotechnology and Energy, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
4 ALiCE – Associate Laboratory in Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal

Abstract

Background

The growing demand for sophisticated strategies to mitigate skin damage from oxidative stress, photoaging, and structural degradation has significantly propelled the advancement of nano-enabled topical delivery systems. Nanotechnology provides a robust platform, notably improving the stability of labile molecules, modulating their release kinetics, and augmenting their functional efficacy in dermocosmetic formulations. Against this background, our study investigated the feasibility of scaling up a lipid-based nanoformulation, specifically nanostructured lipid carriers, engineered to enhance the stability, skin penetration, and biological activity of natural antioxidants, namely vitamin E and docosahexaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid, which are known for their protective benefits against oxidative stress and inflammation that contribute to skin aging.

Methods

The NLCs were prepared via high-shear homogenization coupled with probe ultrasonication, followed by comprehensive characterization including particle size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential. Further evaluations encompassed the thermal stability of the encapsulated compounds and accelerated stability tests of the NLCs, crucial for assessing formulation robustness under simulated storage and topical application conditions. A primary objective was to ascertain whether these critical physicochemical properties could be consistently maintained during the scale-up process, a prerequisite for industrial feasibility and, if necessary, to optimize the production methodology.

Results

The optimized nanoformulations demonstrated mean particle sizes below 200 nm, which is ideal for enhancing epidermal deposition and diffusion into superficial skin layers, coupled with low PdI values and a moderately negative zeta potential, signifying colloidal stability [6]. Accelerated stability tests further confirmed the sustained integrity of the nanoparticles. Finally, following meticulous optimization of the production method, the scale-up process yielded no significant deviations from laboratory-scale batches, thus establishing robust process reproducibility.

Conclusions

Collectively, these findings confirm that the encapsulation of antioxidant bioactives within NLCs presents a highly promising strategy for topical application, affording enhanced stability, superior protection against oxidative degradation, and improved dermal delivery. These results underscore the substantial potential of scalable lipid-based nanocarriers as advanced dermocosmetic ingredients, significantly contributing to the evolution of nanotechnology-driven solutions for effective skin protection and anti-aging interventions.