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Reactive oxygen species (ROS), commonly recognized as free radicals, significantly contribute to skin damage by disrupting defense and repair mechanisms, thereby accelerating the aging process. An effective strategy to prevent and alleviate skin aging involves the application of topical formulations enriched with powerful antioxidant compounds. Sacha inchi oil (Plukenetia volubilis L.) has been reported to possess significant antioxidant activity, while its oil contains a high content of omega-3 fatty acids, offering potential anti-aging benefits. This study aims to evaluate the stability, in vitro anti-aging activity, and skin irritation assessments of a facial serum containing Sacha inchi oil (SIO) formulated as a topical anti-aging agent. The stability of the serum was assessed by analyzing its organoleptic properties, homogeneity, viscosity, spreadability, pH, microbial contamination, and heavy metal content over a three-month period under controlled climatic conditions. The in vitro anti-aging activity was evaluated through enzyme inhibition assays for neutrophil elastase and collagenase, while skin irritation was assessed via human patch testing. The results indicated that the SIO facial serum exhibits excellent stability, significant anti-aging activity, and is safe for topical application, with no irritant effects observed during skin irritation assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), commonly known as free radicals, induced by UV radiation can compromise the dermal structure, leading to a loss of skin elasticity and subsequent wrinkle formation. A promising strategy to prevent and mitigate skin aging involves the use of topical formulations with potent antioxidant properties. Secondary metabolites such as astaxanthin and zeaxanthin are known for their robust antioxidant activities, which surpass those of tocopherol, offering significant benefits for skin health and protection against UV-induced damage. These properties suggest their potential application in anti-aging products. This study aims to evaluate the stability, ex vivo penetration, and in vivo efficacy of a radiance serum containing an astaxanthin–zeaxanthin nanoemulsion (AZ-NE) designed as an anti-wrinkle agent for topical application. The research was conducted in four stages: production of the astaxanthin–zeaxanthin nanoemulsion (AZ-NE), formulation of the AZ-NE radiance serum, stability, and efficacy testing. In this study, the formulated radiance serum demonstrated stability over three months under specified storage conditions. Ex vivo penetration studies indicated efficient diffusion of the active ingredients, with astaxanthin showing a penetration rate of 25.95%/cm2 and zeaxanthin at 20.80%/cm2 after 120 min. In vivo irritation tests conducted on human subjects revealed no adverse effects. Moreover, the serum exhibited substantial anti-wrinkle efficacy, with 15 female participants experiencing a wrinkle reduction of 80% to 93% over a 28-day period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Free radicals can cause damage to the structure of the dermis layer, which makes skin lose its elasticity and leads to the formation of wrinkles. A strategy to prevent this problem is by using antioxidants. A plant that has been reported to contain good antioxidant activity is sacha inchi seed (Plukenetia volubilis L.); apart from that, its oil has quite a high omega-3 content and potentially can act as an anti-aging agent stimulating the skin-cell-regeneration process, maintaining skin moisture and elasticity and stimulating collagen production. This research aims to analyze the physicochemical characteristics and determine the fatty acid profile, the levels of vitamins A, D, and E, and the antioxidant activity of sacha inchi seed oil. This research was conducted through eight main stages: sacha inchi seed extraction, quality parameters checking, phytochemical screening, determining fatty acid profiles, vitamin analysis, antioxidant activity tests, microbiological contamination tests, and heavy-metal contamination tests. In this study, quality inspection results were obtained: organoleptic form (liquid), color (yellow), odor (typical), relative density value (0.91 g/cm3), acid number (0.38 ± 0.02 mg/g), peroxide value (11.01 mEq/Kg), iodine value (179.32 g/100 g), and refractive index (1.479). The phytochemical screening results of sacha inchi seed oil were positive for containing flavonoids, triterpenoids, and steroids. The results of the fatty acid profile were omega-3 (48.5%), omega-6 (34.8%), and omega-9 (7.7%). The results of the vitamin contents analysis were vitamin A (123.42 mg/100 g), vitamin D (899.46 mg/100 g), and vitamin E (145.06 mg/100 g). The antioxidant activity test showed an IC50 value of 8.859 ppm (very strong), and the microbial and heavy-metal contamination tests were negative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]