Microencapsulation of alcohol solvents and high-content actives for efficient transdermal delivery

Abstract

The barrier function of the skin in effectively protecting the underlying tissue from the surrounding environment makes it challenging to achieve the efficient transdermal delivery of actives. Herein, we report on alcohol-solvent-encapsulated microcapsules to achieve enhanced skin efficacy. We show that using palm oil as the shell material allows for the microencapsulation of a broad range of alcohol solvents, including ethanol and dipropylene glycol (DPG), as well as on-demand release. Moreover, clinical trials reveal that the high-content actives in microcapsules result in enhanced skin efficacy, and the presence of DPG effectively mediates the transdermal delivery of these actives without causing any skin irritation. We envision that the alcohol-solvent microencapsulation strategy outlined in this work offers new possibilities in cosmetics, food, and drug delivery systems.