Rosnani Hasham

Protective effects of a Ficus deltoidea (Mas cotek) extract against UVB-induced photoageing in skin cells

Continuous exposure to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation leads to a variety of skin damage, such as sunburn, pigmentation, premature ageing, and photocarcinogenesis. Various phytochemical extracts have been identified to efficiently protect sun exposed skin from UV induced photodamage. A Ficus deltoidea (Mas cotek) water extract has been widely used for women’s health in Malaysia. In a previous study from this lab, the F. deltoidea extract exhibited strong anti-melanogenic effects towards cultured B16F1 melanoma cells. Additional studies were intended to evaluate the effects of the F. deltoidea extract on antiphotoageing activity using cultured human dermal fibroblasts and immortalised human keratinocytes (HaCaT). Both TNF-α and cyclooxygenase (COX-2) play primary roles in the inflammation process upon UV irradiation and are known to be stimulated by UVB irradiation. Treatment with the F. deltoidea extract dramatically inhibited the UVinduced TNF-α, IL-1α, IL-6, and COX-2 expression. The decreased collagen synthesis of fibroblasts as a result of UVB exposure was restored to a normal level after treatment with the F. deltoidea extract. In addition, the enhanced MMP-1 expression upon UVB irradiation was downregulated by the F. deltoidea extract in a dose-dependent manner. The overall findings indicate that the F. deltoidea extract may exert a protective effect against UVB-induced damage in the skin that is useful for anti-photoageing cosmetic products.

Targeted delivery of bromelain using dual mode nanoparticles: synthesis, physicochemical characterization, in vitro and in vivo evaluation

The engineering, characterization, and application of dual-functional delivery vehicle “SPIONs–Br–FA” are reported. In this study, a citrate-coated SPIONs (superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles) drug-delivery vehicle was conjugated with Br (bromelain), a phytotherapeutic anticancer agent, and finally immobilized with FA (folic acid), as a targeting moiety to the FAR+, folate receptor positive, cancer cells. Then, in vitro compatibility tests were performed to confirm the biocompatibility of the engineered system. A cytotoxicity study was carried out, which showed a significant dose advantage with SPIONs–Br–FA in reducing the IC50 values of FAR+ cancer cells compared with neat Br. Through morphological alternation studies, it was disclosed that the SPIONs–Br–FA-treated cells had undergone apoptosis, since shrinkage as well as apoptotic bodies were obviously observed. We demonstrated that SPIONs–Br–FA was a good candidate to suppress the migration of the FAR+ cancer cells as well as to inhibit colony formation of the FAR+ cancer cells compared to SPIONs–Br. We found that the apoptosis percentage was sharply increased in the FAR+ cancer cells treated by SPIONs–Br–FA compared to those treated by neat Br. Moreover, the qualitative and quantitative biodistribution study performed on the vital organs and tumor indicated a significant tumor targetability of the SPIONs–FA. Next, we demonstrated the administration of SPIONs–Br–FA through the tail vein could reduce the tumor burden in 4T1-bearing mice and also increased their lifespan when compared with SPIONs–Br and neat Br at the same concentration of bromelain. In conclusion, the results indicated that the synthesized SPIONs–Br–FA is a promising tool in the field of biomedicine, particularly in cancer therapy.

Optimisation of orthosiphon stamineus loaded onto nanostructured lipid carrier using D optimal mixture design

In this study, the formulation of Orthosiphon stamineus (OS) loaded onto nanostuctured lipid carrier was prepared using melt emulsification homogenisation technique. Glyceryl monostearate and triglyceride were used as solid and liquid lipids respectively. D-optimal mixture design was employed to optimise the formulation of OS loaded into nanostructured lipid carrier. The independent variables were OS extract, solid lipid and liquid lipid, while the dependent variables were particle size, polydispersity index (PDI) and encapsulation efficiency. Multiple correlation coefficient (R2) obtained for particle size, PDI and encapsulation efficiency was 0.9404, 0.9138 and 0.8754. All three models are significant and the lack of fit for all dependent variables was not significant. Solid lipid was the most influential factor for particle size. For PDI, OS was the dominant factor. Meanwhile liquid lipid is the most influential factor toward the encapsulation efficiency. The optimum formulation of OS loaded nanostructured lipid carrier is 4 % of OS, 1 % of solid lipid and 5 % of liquid lipid.

Evaluation of wound closure activity of cocos nucifera oil on scratched monolayer of human dermal fibroblasts

Cocos nucifera L. has been widely used in Malaysia for traditional skin moisturiser and as a food supplement for centuries. Virgin coconut oil (VCO) contains predominantly medium chain fatty acids of which 45 - 50 % is lauric acid (C12). VCO has also been reported to contain antioxidants and polyphenols. In this study, integrated wet extracts of VCO was investigated for its efficacy on cell viability and migration in fibroblast cells (HSF 1184). The in-vitro wound healing assay was developed at a density of 3 × 105 cells/well in 6-wells plate to 80 % confluence. A straight line scratch was performed using a sterile 200 μL pipette tip to create a wound on the monolayer culture. The treatment medium of VCO (0.1 - 1.0 mg/mL), ascorbic acid (5 μg/mL) (positive control) and serum-free media (control) were filled in the 6-wells culture plate. Wound closure image at the same location was taken under inverted microscope at various intervals (0 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h). The percentage of wound closure was calculated and analysed using Image J software. As a result, the percentage of wound closure for HSF 1184 using VCO extract 1.0 mg/mL was about 56.89 ± 2.35 % comparable to ascorbic acid (55.65 ± 1.08 %) after 24 h of treatment time. The wound closure for VCO 0.5 mg/mL was about 60.51 ± 3.22 % and VCO 0.1 mg/mL (61.66 ± 3.62 %) after 24 h. In conclusion, VCO contains antioxidants and phenolic compounds that might promote the proliferation and migration of cells to enhance wound closure activity on human dermal fibroblast cells.

Empty nano and micro-structured lipid carriers of virgin coconut oil for skin moisturisation

Virgin coconut oil (VCO) is the finest grade of coconut oil, rich in phenolic content, antioxidant activity and contains medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). In this work formulation, characterisation and penetration of VCO-solid lipid particles (VCO-SLP) have been studied. VCO-SLP were prepared using ultrasonication of molten stearic acid and VCO in an aqueous solution. The electron microscopy imaging revealed that VCO-SLP were solid and spherical in shape. Ultrasonication was performed at several power intensities which resulted in particle sizes of VCO-SLP ranged from 0.608 ± 0.002 µm to 44.265 ± 1.870 µm. The particle size was directly proportional to the applied power intensity of ultrasonication. The zeta potential values of the particles were from -43.2 ± 0.28 mV to -47.5 ± 0.42 mV showing good stability. The cumulative permeation for the smallest sized VCO-SLP (0.608 µm) was 3.83 ± 0.01 µg/cm(2) whereas for larger carriers it was reduced (3.59 ± 0.02 µg/cm(2)). It is concluded that SLP have the potential to be exploited as a micro/nano scale cosmeceutical carrying vehicle for improved dermal delivery of VCO.

Potential dermatological application on Asian plants

Skin diseases are among some of the most common types of health problems faced in Malaysia, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). Correspondingly, research into the use of medicinal plants for skin disease treatment has become important. Through the ages, medicinal plants have been used widely to treat a variety of skin diseases. The demand for plant-based medicines is growing, as they are generally considered to be safer and less harmful than conventional allopathic drugs. This article reviews the potential of Asian plants to be epidermal protecting agents. There are eleven remarkable Asian plants that are known for their skin barrier protecting agent properties. Important studies have shown that natural products offer a rich potential source of epidermal protecting agents. Nevertheless, further surveys and clinical evidence are needed to establish the potential of identified species in contributing to the treatment of skin disease, especially atopic eczema.