Inorganic nanoparticles in dermopharmaceutical and cosmetic products: Properties, formulation development, toxicity, and regulatory issues

Filipa Mascarenhas-Melo; Ankita Mathur; Sivasubramanian Murugappan; Arpana Sharma; Kalpita Tanwar; Kamal Dua; Sachin Kumar Singh; Priscila Gava Mazzola; Dokkari Nagalaxmi Yadav; Aravind Kumar Rengan; Francisco Veiga; Ana Cláudia Paiva-Santos

doi:10.1016/j.ejpb.2023.09.011

Inorganic nanoparticles in dermopharmaceutical and cosmetic products: Properties, formulation development, toxicity, and regulatory issues

Eur J Pharm Biopharm. 2023 Nov:192:25-40. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2023.09.011. Epub 2023 Sep 20.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; REQUIMTE/LAQV, Group of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Abode Biotec India Private Limited, Hyderbad, Telangana, India.
³ Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Sangareddy, Telangana, India; Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
⁴ Department of Life Sciences, Mewar University, Gangrar, Rajasthan, India.
⁵ Martin Luther Christian University, Meghalaya, India.
⁶ Discipline of Pharmacy, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia; Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.
⁷ Faculty of Health, Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab-144411, India.
⁸ Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
⁹ Department of Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Sangareddy, Telangana, India.
¹⁰ Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; REQUIMTE/LAQV, Group of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
¹¹ Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; REQUIMTE/LAQV, Group of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Coimbra, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 37739239
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2023.09.011

Abstract

The use of nanotechnology strategies is a current hot topic, and research in this field has been growing significantly in the cosmetics industry. Inorganic nanoparticles stand out in this context for their distinctive physicochemical properties, leading in particular to an increased refractive index and absorption capacity giving them a broad potential for cutaneous applications and making them of special interest in research for dermopharmaceutical and cosmetic purposes. This performance is responsible for its heavy inclusion in the manufacture of skin health products such as sunscreens, lotions, beauty creams, skin ointments, makeup, and others. In particular, their suitable bandgap energy characteristics allow them to be used as photocatalytic semiconductors. They provide excellent UV absorption, commonly known as UV filters, and are responsible for their wide worldwide use in sunscreen formulations without the undesirable white residue after consumer application. In addition, cosmetics based on inorganic nanoparticles have several additional characteristics relevant to formulation development, such as being less expensive compared to other nanomaterials, having greater stability, and ensuring less irritation, itching, and propensity for skin allergies. This review will address in detail the main inorganic nanoparticles used in dermopharmaceutical and cosmetic products, such as titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, silicon dioxide, silver, gold, copper, and aluminum nanoparticles, nanocrystals, and quantum dots, reporting their physicochemical characteristics, but also their additional intrinsic properties that contribute to their use in this type of formulations. Safety issues regarding inorganic nanoparticles, based on toxicity studies, both to humans and the environment, as well as regulatory affairs associated with their use in dermopharmaceuticals and cosmetics, will be addressed.

Keywords: Cosmetic; Dermopharmaceutical; Inorganic nanoparticle; Regulatory; Toxicity.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Cosmetics* / chemistry
Cosmetics* / toxicity
Humans
Nanoparticles* / chemistry
Skin / metabolism
Skin Absorption
Sunscreening Agents / toxicity

Substances

Cosmetics
Sunscreening Agents