Nanotechnology for Natural Medicine: Formulation of Neem Oil Loaded Phospholipid Vesicles Modified with Argan Oil as a Strategy to Protect the Skin from Oxidative Stress and Promote Wound Healing
Maria Letizia Manca,
Maria Manconi,
Maria Cristina Meloni,
Francesca Marongiu,
Mohamad Allaw,
Iris Usach,
Josè Esteban Peris,
Elvira Escribano-Ferrer,
Carlo Ignazio Giovanni Tuberoso,
Gemma Gutierrez,
Maria Matos,
Mansureh Ghavam
Affiliations
Maria Letizia Manca
Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Ospedale 72, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
Maria Manconi
Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Ospedale 72, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
Maria Cristina Meloni
Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Ospedale 72, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
Francesca Marongiu
Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Ospedale 72, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
Mohamad Allaw
Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Ospedale 72, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
Iris Usach
Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, University of Valencia, Burjassot, 46100 Valencia, Spain
Josè Esteban Peris
Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, University of Valencia, Burjassot, 46100 Valencia, Spain
Elvira Escribano-Ferrer
Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics Unit, Institute for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
Carlo Ignazio Giovanni Tuberoso
Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Via Ospedale 72, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
Gemma Gutierrez
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Oviedo, 33003 Oviedo, Spain
Maria Matos
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Oviedo, 33003 Oviedo, Spain
Mansureh Ghavam
Department of Range and Watershed Management, Faculty of Natural Resources and Earth Sciences, University of Kashan, Kashan 8731753153, Iran
Neem oil, a plant-derived product rich in bioactives, has been incorporated in liposomes and hyalurosomes modified by adding argan oil and so called argan-liposomes and argan-hyalurosomes. Argan oil has also been added to the vesicles because of its regenerative and protective effects on skin. In the light of this, vesicles were specifically tailored to protect the skin from oxidative stress and treat lesions. Argan-liposomes were the smallest vesicles (~113 nm); the addition of sodium hyaluronate led to an increase in vesicle size (~143 nm) but it significantly improved vesicle stability during storage. In vitro studies confirmed the free radical scavenging activity of formulations, irrespective of their composition. Moreover, rheological investigation confirmed the higher viscosity of argan-hyalurosomes, which avoid formulation leakage after application. In vitro studies performed by using the most representative cells of the skin (i.e., keratinocytes and fibroblasts) underlined the ability of vesicles, especially argan-liposomes and argan-hyalurosomes, to counteract oxidative stress induced in these cells by using hydrogen peroxide and to improve the proliferation and migration of cells ensuring the more rapid and even complete closure of the wound (scratch assay).
