Thursday, July 15, 2010

Sandful lotion!

South Australian researchers have invented and patented a new technology which can deliver the cosmetics and drugs to the skin. They are using nanoparticles of silica (usually sand) to create longer lasting cosmetics and creams that control the delivery of drugs through the skin.

They already have a family of international patents on their technology, and are now actively looking for commercial partners to get their invention out of the lab and on to your skin.

It has been reported from Wark Research Institute that they are using nanoparticles silica to create the emulsions on which the emulsions on which many cosmetics and therapeutic products are based.

The work is being presented for the first time in public through Fresh Science, a communication boot camp for early-career scientists held at the Melbourne Museum. They have developed emulsions in which silica nanoparticles coat the oil droplets. Coating the tiny emulsion droplets with silica increases the stability of the mixture, and makes it less likely that the active compounds inside will degrade or be released until scientists want to do so.

Thus using this method drug delivery can be controlled by adjusting release through the thickness of the coating. This could be really beneficial if a drug has to be released at a specific time, or if releasing too much at once can lead to accumulation and toxic effects.

According to the researcher silica nanoparticles interact with skin cells in a way which increases the delivery of drugs to specific skin layers significantly. Using the nanoparticles, not only was a higher concentration of the active ingredient delivered, but also leakage into the blood stream was limited. This is a great advantage for skin creams. It limits exposure of the rest of the body, and any consequent toxicity.

On the other hand nanoparticle-coated emulsions are cost-effective, because they are efficient at delivering drugs. A smaller quantity of active compound can be used in a more stable form.