A Comprehensive Assessment of the Biocompatibility and Safety of Diamond Nanoparticles on Reconstructed Human Epidermis

Abstract

Diamond nanoparticles, also known as nanodiamonds (NDs), exhibit remarkable, awe-inspiring properties that make them suitable for various applications in the field of skin care products. However, a comprehensive assessment of their compatibility with human skin, according to the irritation criteria established by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), has not yet been conducted. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if diamond nanoparticles at a concentration of 25 μg/mL, incubated with reconstituted human epidermis (EpiDermTM) for 18 h, conform to the OECD TG439 standard used to classify chemical irritants. For this purpose, a cell viability test (MTT assay), histological assessment, and analysis of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression were performed. The results indicated that NDs had no toxic effect at the tested concentration. They also did not adversely affect tissue structure and did not lead to a simultaneous increase in protein and mRNA expression of the analyzed cytokines. These results confirm the safety and biocompatibility of NDs for application in skincare products, thereby creating a wide range of possibilities to exert an impact on the advancement of contemporary cosmetology in the future.