Engineered Nanocarriers: SLN vs NLC and Phospholipid Liposomes (Engineering Review 2017)
Penetrating the lipid-rich stratum corneum while preserving active molecular stability requires customized nanocarrier architectures.
Engineering Mechanism & Kinetic Flowchart
Phospholipid Vesicular Envelopes
Liposomes consist of concentric phosphatidylcholine bilayers capable of entrapping water-soluble actives (e.g., Vitamin C, peptides) in internal compartments and lipophilic actives (e.g., Retinol, CoQ10) within lipidic membranes, increasing transfollicular transport.
Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLN) vs Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLC)
SLNs utilize solid fats (cetyl palmitate, tristearin); however, during storage, lipid recrystallization into the low-energy beta-polymorph can expel the active ingredient. NLCs overcome this by incorporating spatially incompatible liquid lipids (e.g., medium-chain triglycerides), forming disordered crystal matrices that accommodate substantially higher active payloads.
Controlled Release & Irritation Dampening
Encapsulation in lipid nanoparticles mitigates peak concentration bursts of irritating molecules (such as Retinoic Acid and Benzoyl Peroxide), sustaining continuous sub-erythemal release over 24 hours.
Pharmacist-Biochemist · Specialist in Cosmetic Engineering & Dermato-Pharmacology · Published on December 19, 2017 at 18:32
