The advantages of a novel CoQ10 delivery system in skin photo-protection

Int J Pharm. 2010 Jun 15;392(1-2):57-63. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2010.03.032. Epub 2010 Mar 17.

Abstract

Skin photo-ageing induced by ultraviolet (UV) radiation is mainly ascribed to oxidative stress and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) has been reported as a powerful antioxidant in plasma. However, CoQ10 was barely satisfactory in topical drug delivery because of its lipid solubility. To improve the anti-oxidative efficiency of CoQ10 in skin photo-ageing, the present research prepared a novel CoQ10 nano-structured lipid carrier (CoQ10-NLC) and characterised it by size and freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy (FF-TEM). In UVA-irradiated fibroblasts, the protection of CoQ10-NLC was more effective than the CoQ10-emulsion as demonstrated by cell viability and morphological changes of the cell body and nucleus. In addition, malondialdehyde (MDA, the product of lipid peroxidation) concentration decreased by 61.5% in the group treated with CoQ10-NLC compared to the group subjected to general CoQ10-emulsion. In the presence of CoQ10-NLC, the activities of the anti-oxidative enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px) were reinstated to 81% and 75%, respectively, of the control group. In vivo, the CoQ10-NLC displayed a stronger capability to penetrate the stratum corneum and permeate the dermis after a topical skin application. These results reveal that CoQ10-NLC has greater antioxidant properties and topical skin penetration than the CoQ10-emulsion.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis / radiation effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Drug Carriers / chemistry*
  • Female
  • Fibroblasts / drug effects
  • Fibroblasts / enzymology
  • Fibroblasts / metabolism
  • Fibroblasts / pathology
  • Fibroblasts / radiation effects
  • Glutathione Peroxidase / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Lipid Peroxides / metabolism
  • Lipids / chemistry*
  • Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
  • Models, Biological
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Oxidative Stress / drug effects
  • Oxidative Stress / radiation effects
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Skin / drug effects
  • Skin / enzymology
  • Skin / metabolism
  • Skin / radiation effects
  • Skin Absorption / drug effects
  • Skin Aging* / drug effects
  • Skin Aging* / radiation effects
  • Solubility
  • Sunscreening Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Sunscreening Agents / chemistry
  • Sunscreening Agents / pharmacokinetics
  • Superoxide Dismutase / metabolism
  • Surface Properties
  • Ubiquinone / administration & dosage
  • Ubiquinone / analogs & derivatives*
  • Ubiquinone / chemistry
  • Ubiquinone / pharmacokinetics
  • Ultraviolet Rays / adverse effects

Substances

  • Drug Carriers
  • Lipid Peroxides
  • Lipids
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Sunscreening Agents
  • Ubiquinone
  • Glutathione Peroxidase
  • Superoxide Dismutase
  • coenzyme Q10