Skin pigmentation improvement with resveratrol microemulsion gel using polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil

Abstract

Objective

To investigate the safety and efficacy of resveratrol microemulsion gel in improving pigmentation.

Methods

Resveratrol microemulsion gel was prepared by the microemulsion solubilization method, and its quality was evaluated. The transdermal and drug retention rates of resveratrol in vivo were assessed using a transdermal test. The inhibitory effects of resveratrol suspension and microemulsion on tyrosinase activity and melanin production of A375 human melanocytes and zebrafish embryos were compared. A skin patch test was used to investigate the safety of the gel on 15 volunteers.

Results

The microemulsion gel was homogeneous and stable. Compared with suspension and microemulsion, the drug penetration rate and skin retention in the microemulsion gel group were significantly increased. Compared with the suspension group, the activity of melanocyte tyrosinase in A375 human melanocyte was significantly inhibited in the microemulsion group, and the melanin production rate of A375 human melanocyte and the melanin area of zebrafish yolk was decreased. All 15 volunteers tested negative for the human skin patch.

Conclusions

The microemulsion gel could significantly enhance the ability of resveratrol to inhibit the formation of melanin without causing side effects. These data provide the experimental basis for developing and applying the preparation for improving pigmentation.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Resveratrol
• microemulsion gel
• melanin
• melanocyte tyrosinase
• transdermal drug delivery

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Xiaoyan Li for her outstanding contribution in this study.

Ethic approval

The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Heibei Medical University (No. 2021079) on 17 May 2021. Written informed consent was obtained from all volunteers before the treatment.

Author contributions

Jiening Dun and Qing Du contributed to conception and design of the study. Lu Cao, Xiaoyan Li implemented the study and organized the database. Lu Cao and Jing Zhao performed the statistical analysis. Xiaoyan Li and Lu Cao wrote the first draft of the manuscript. All authors contributed to manuscript revision, read, and approved the submitted version.

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Data availability statements

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by Science and Technology Project of Hebei Education Department [QN2021048]; Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Provincial Department of Science and Technology [H202206404]; Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Provincial Department of Science and Technology [H2020206451]; and the Hebei 2022 Program for Introducing Overseas Students [C20220345].