Towards Boosting Power by Encapsulating Tranexamic Acid into Emulsified Particles

Abstract

In aesthetic medicine, during a course of skin whitening treatment, injections must be frequently administered to achieve a strong curative effect. To develop a method to prevent long-term harm due to injections, this study applied a novel technology for the delivery of whitening agents that achieved long-term slow release of agents, thereby reducing the danger of frequent injections. We utilized biodegradable poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) and Span 85 as surfactants and squalene as the core oil to encapsulate and adsorb tranexamic acid in emulsified particles, respectively. The conductivity test determined that the continuous phase of the obtained emulsified particles was aqueous; tranexamic acid did not play a critical role because of its low content. The controlled release experiment demonstrated that the release rate of tranexamic acid from the emulsified matrix was in the sequence of (1) adsorption, (2) encapsulation plus adsorption, and (3) encapsulation. Encapsulating tranexamic acid can efficiently halt the behavior of sudden release and potentially boost the efficacy of whitening.