Green extraction of Rosa canina L. and Prunus spinosa L. by NaDES and their encapsulation in chitosan nanoparticles for cosmetic industry

What if the secret to greener cosmetics lies in a berry and a thorny shrub? Scientists have unlocked a sustainable way to extract their power using nature's own solvents.

The cosmetic industry is on the hunt for sustainable ingredients, and two humble plants might just deliver. Rosehips and blackthorns, packed with phenolic compounds, were extracted using natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDES) — a green alternative to traditional solvents. The extracts showed impressive antioxidant activity, with DPPH scavenging of 92.67% for rosehip and 86.06% for blackthorn, and total phenolic content of 35.26 and 8.65 mg GAE/g FW, respectively.

To make these extracts truly useful, the team encapsulated them in chitosan nanoparticles. They optimized the process using pentasodium tripolyphosphate as a crosslinker and a chitosan concentration of 2 mg/mL. The resulting nanoparticles were small and achieved high entrapment efficiencies: 63.43% for rosehip and 72.64% for blackthorn.

Crucially, cell viability tests on human dermal fibroblasts (WS1 line) confirmed that the formulations are safe for skin application. This research paves the way for eco-friendly cosmetic ingredients that are both effective and gentle on our cells.

Key Points

• NaDES extracts from rosehip and blackthorn show high antioxidant activity.
• Chitosan nanoparticles achieved 63-73% entrapment efficiency.
• Formulations are safe for human dermal fibroblasts (WS1).