FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF GREEN TEA EXTRACT LOADED ETHOSOMES FOR ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTI AGING EFFECT

The present study aimed to formulate and evaluate Camellia sinensis extract-loaded ethosomes for enhanced antioxidant and anti-aging activity through topical delivery. Ethosomes were prepared using varying concentrations of phosphatidylcholine and ethanol and evaluated for their physicochemical characteristics, drug entrapment efficiency, in vitro drug release, and stability. FTIR studies indicated the compatibility between the extract and formulation excipients without significant interactions.The prepared ethosomes exhibited nanosized vesicles with particle sizes ranging from 186 to 208 nm and zeta potential values between -24 and -28 mV, suggesting good physical stability. Entrapment efficiency of the formulations ranged from 78.51% to 81.25%, with formulation F2 showing the highest entrapment efficiency (81.25%). In vitro drug release studies demonstrated sustained release behavior over 8 hours, with formulation F2 exhibiting the maximum cumulative drug release of 97.17%. Stability studies performed under different storage conditions for three months revealed no significant changes in the formulation characteristics, confirming the stability of the optimized formulation.The findings suggest that Camellia sinensis extract-loaded ethosomes can serve as an effective topical delivery system to enhance the antioxidant and anti-aging potential of green tea polyphenols. Among the developed formulations, F2 was identified as the optimized formulation due to its superior entrapment efficiency, drug release profile, and stability. Therefore, ethosomal delivery of Camellia sinensis extract represents a promising strategy for the development of novel anti-aging and antioxidant skincare formulations.