Development of lutein-loaded niosomes for topical delivery

Lutein (Lut), a fat-soluble xanthophyll compound, is a derivative of carotenoids. It has several biological activities such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory. In particular, the antioxidant activities of Lut are widely used as primary skin protection to alleviate oxidative injury caused by free radicals from sunlight. However, the structure of Lut is easy to decompose and is unstable to exposure by various stimuli such as pH, temperature, oxidation reaction, and light. Therefore, this study aimed to formulate niosomes to encapsulate Lut. Niosomes were prepared using the thin film hydration method. The droplet size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, and loading capacity were investigated. Moreover, photodegradation, the effect of limonene as a skin enhancer on skin permeation, and antioxidant activity were examined. The results revealed that the niosome formulation for Lut delivery contained Span20, cholesterol, and oleic acid at the ratio of 2:1:1. The niosomes with limonene exhibited the highest skin penetration compared to the niosomes without limonene and Lut suspension. The formulation with and without limonene as a component exhibited the highest antioxidant activity. In conclusion, encapsulating Lut in niosomes could facilitate its penetration into the skin as well as enhance antioxidant properties, which can be applied and further developed into cosmeceuticals.