Sustainability in Skin Care: Incorporation of Avocado Peel Extracts in Topical Formulations

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2022

Authors

Sara M. Ferreira (Author) FEUP; Zizina Falé (Author) Other; Lúcia Silveira Santos (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Molecules

Vol. 27 No. 6

Pages: 1-16

ISSN: 1420-3049

Publisher: MDPI

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge

Scopus

ScienceDirect (Elsevier)

Associated Projects

LEPABE - Financiamento Plurianual 2020-2023 da Unidade de I&D LEPABE - Laboratório de Engenharia de Processos, Ambiente, Biotecnologia e Energia

ALiCE - ALiCE - Laboratório Associado em Engenharia Química

Healthy Waters - Healthy Waters - Identification, Elimination, Social Awareness and Education of Water Chemical and Biological Micropollutants with Health and Environmental Implications

Other information

DOI: 10.3390/molecules27061782

Abstract (EN): The avocado peel is an agro-industrial by-product that has exhibited a massive increase in its production in the last few years. The reuse and valorisation of this by-product are essential since its disposal raises environmental concerns. In the present study, ethanolic extracts of avocado peels of the Hass variety were obtained, for three extraction times (1.5 h, 3 h and 4 h) and analysed for their antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Antioxidant evaluations of the extracts revealed that the extraction time of 1.5 h exhibited the best results amongst the three, with a DPPH inhibition percentage of 93.92 +/- 1.29 and an IC50 percentage, the necessary concentration of the extract to inhibit 50% of DPPH, of 37.30 +/- 1.00. The antibacterial capacity of the extracts was evaluated and it was revealed that they were able to inhibit the growth and development of bacteria of the Staphylococcus family. The obtained extract was incorporated in two types of cosmetic formulations (oil-in-water and water-in-oil) and their stability was evaluated and compared with formulations containing synthetic preservatives (BHT and phenoxyethanol). The results of the stability evaluation suggest that the avocado peel extract has the potential to be incorporated in both types of emulsions, acting as an antioxidant and antibacterial agent, proving it to be a viable option to reduce/replace the use of synthetic preservatives. Furthermore, the avocado peel extract proved to be more effective and stable in oil-in-water emulsions. These results highlight the possibility of obtaining sustainable cosmetics, significantly reducing the negative impacts on the environment by the incorporation of extracts sourced from the avocado peel, an interesting source of phenolic compounds, an abundant and low-cost by-product.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 16