Astaxanthin Delivery Systems for Skin Application: A Review |
| |
| Authors: | Sarah Giovanna Montenegro Lima Marjorie Caroline Liberato Cavalcanti Freire Vernica da Silva Oliveira Carlo Solisio Attilio Converti dley Antonini Neves de Lima |
| |
| Institution: | 1.Department of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59012-570, RN, Brazil; (S.G.M.L.); (V.d.S.O.);2.Physics Institute of São Carlos, University of São Paulo, São Carlos 13566-590, SP, Brazil;3.Department of Civil, Chemical and Environment Engineering, Pole of Chemical Engineering, University of Genoa, I-16145 Genoa, Italy; (C.S.); (A.C.) |
| |
| Abstract: | Astaxanthin (AST) is a biomolecule known for its powerful antioxidant effect, which is considered of great importance in biochemical research and has great potential for application in cosmetics, as well as food products that are beneficial to human health and medicines. Unfortunately, its poor solubility in water, chemical instability, and low oral bioavailability make its applications in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical field a major challenge for the development of new products. To favor the search for alternatives to enhance and make possible the use of AST in formulations, this article aimed to review the scientific data on its application in delivery systems. The search was made in databases without time restriction, using keywords such as astaxanthin, delivery systems, skin, cosmetic, topical, and dermal. All delivery systems found, such as liposomes, particulate systems, inclusion complexes, emulsions, and films, presented peculiar advantages able to enhance AST properties, among which are stability, antioxidant potential, biological activities, and drug release. This survey showed that further studies are needed for the industrial development of new AST-containing cosmetics and topical formulations. |
| |
| Keywords: | astaxanthin delivery system skin cosmetics drugs drug release |
|
|
