Upcycled Cocoa Pod Husk: A Sustainable Source of Phenol and Polyphenol Ingredients for Skin Hydration, Whitening, and Anti-Aging.

L. (cocoa) pod husk, a byproduct of the chocolate industry, has potential for commercial applications due to its bioactive compounds. This study aimed to determine the phytochemical composition, biological activity, and clinical efficacy of a standardized extract.

Pectin-like polysaccharide extracted from pulp: physicochemical, antioxidant, and skin hydration efficacy.

(currently accepted name of ) is a Cucurbitaceae vegetable with several biological activities. Polysaccharides from the fruit of were extracted and evaluated, producing a high extractive yield (17.20 ± 0.

L-Ascorbic acid and phosphatidylcholine complex vesicles: formation and elucidation of their biological activities, and their molecular interactions.

The aim is to prepare, characterise, and evaluate the biological activities and key molecular interactions of L-ascorbic acid and phosphatidylcholine (PC-AA) complex vesicles. PC-AA complexes were prepared and characterised using DLS, TEM, FTIR, UV-Vis, in-vitro release, bioactivities, and cytotoxicity. The key interactions of the AA with the PC were studied with MD simulations.

Rhizome Extract as Potential Anti-Acne Ingredient.

(Black ginger) is used widely in medical fields as an anti-microorganism and anti-inflammation. In this study, the aim was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo anti-acne efficacy of black ginger extract. The results indicate that the methanol and ethanol extracts showed the highest total phenolic contents, without a significant difference, whereas the -hexane extract showed the highest total flavonoid content.

Penetration of Oxidized Carbon Nanospheres through Lipid Bilayer Membrane: Comparison to Graphene Oxide and Oxidized Carbon Nanotubes, and Effects of pH and Membrane Composition.

Here we show that the ability of oxidized carbon particles to penetrate phospholipid bilayer membrane varies with the particle shapes, chemical functionalities on the particle surface, lipid compositions of the membrane and pH conditions. Among the similar surface charged oxidized carbon particles of spherical (oxidized carbon nanosphere, OCS), tubular (oxidized carbon nanotube, OCT), and sheet (oxidized graphene sheet, OGSh) morphologies, OCS possesses the highest levels of adhesion to lipid bilayer membrane and penetration into the cell-sized liposome. OCS preferably binds better to the disordered lipid bilayer membrane (consisting of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine) as compared to the ordered membrane (consisting of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol).

Shape Effect on Particle-Lipid Bilayer Membrane Association, Cellular Uptake, and Cytotoxicity.

Although computer simulation and cell culture experiments have shown that elongated spherical particles can be taken up into cells more efficiently than spherical particles, experimental investigation on effects of these different shapes over the particle-membrane association has never been reported. Therefore, whether the higher cellular uptake of an elongated spherical particles is a result of a better particle-membrane association as suggested by some calculation works or a consequence of its influence on other cellular trans-membrane components involved in particle translocation process, cannot be concluded. Here, we study the effect of particle shape on the particle-membrane interaction by monitoring the association between particles of various shapes and lipid bilayer membrane of artificial cell-sized liposomes.

Retinyl acetate-loaded nanoparticles: dermal penetration and release of the retinyl acetate.

Retinyl acetate (RA) loaded polymeric nanoparticle (NP) carriers were prepared using two different single polymers, ethyl cellulose (EC) and poly (ethylene glycol)-4-methoxycinnamoylphthaloylchitosan (PCPLC). The stability of RA to aqueous solution and UVA light was significantly improved when encapsulated with PCPLC, whilst EC encapsulation gave some improved stability in water but showed no improved photostability. Ex vivo application of free RA and the RA-loaded PCPLC NPs onto the surface of the freshly excised skin from a baby mouse indicated a significantly slower skin absorption rate for the encapsulated RA.