title: Stabilization of quercetin flavonoid in MCM-41 mesoporous silica: positive effect of surface functionalization.
abstract: Antioxidants can prevent UV-induced skin damage mainly by neutralizing free radicals. For this purpose, quercetin (Q) is one of the most employed flavonoids even if the potential usefulness is limited by its unfavorable physicochemical properties. In this context, mesoporous silica (MCM-41) is herein proposed as a novel vehicle able to improve the stability and performance of this phenolic substrate in topical products. Complexes of Q with plain or octyl-functionalized MCM-41 were successfully prepared with different weight ratios by a kneading method, and then, they were characterized by XRD, gas-volumetric (BET), TGA, DSC, and FTIR analyses. The performances of the different complexes were evaluated in vitro in terms of membrane diffusion profiles, storage and photostability, antiradical and chelating activities. The physicochemical characterization confirmed an important host/guest interaction due to the formation of Si-OH/quercetin hydrogen-bonded adducts further strengthened by octyl functionalization through van der Waals forces. The immobilization of Q, particularly on octyl-functionalized silica, increased the stability without undermining the antioxidant efficacy opening the way for an innovative employment of mesoporous composite materials in the skincare field.
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Torino, Dipartimento di Chimica and NIS, Nanostructured Interfaces and Surfaces Centre of Excellence, Via P. Giuria 7, 10125 Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Berlier
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gastaldi
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ugazio
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Miletto
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Iliade
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sapino
mesh_terms: D015394:Molecular Structure; D010316:Particle Size; D016062:Porosity; D011794:Quercetin / Q000737:chemistry*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: C509968:MCM-41; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D011794:Quercetin