Centella asiatica is a medicinal plant widely used in cosmeceutical products owing to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Based on this knowledge, the research team at NANOTEC-NSTDA applied their expertise in nanoencapsultion to develop a delivery and stabilizing system to enhance the efficacy of active ingredients in Centella asiatica.

Dr. Oraphan King, a researcher of Nanolife and Cosmeceuticals Research Team, identified asiaticoside and madecassoside as key biomolecules responsible for the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Despite having potent properties, these compounds have poor transdermal absorption and stability, which largely limiting their bioavailability and potential applications.

“To address this limitation, our team developed a lipid-based nanocarrier that encapsulates these active ingredients, enhancing their skin permeation,” explained Dr. Oraphan. A stabilizer is also added in the nanoencapsulation process to prevent discoloration caused by light and heat and maintain the therapeutic efficacy of the encapsulated ingredients.

Once the lipid-based nanocarrier was developed, the work was handed over to the team at the Nanoparticles and Cosmetics Production Plant to create cosmeceutical products that would appeal to domestic and international consumers.

Mr. Sakkarin Du-a-man, a research staff at Nanoparticles and Cosmetics Production Plant, explained the product development process which involves analyzing the market and understanding the properties of bioactive compounds to identify potential products for development.

“Four products have been created: facial serum, facial sleeping mask, emulgel and hand cream, each presenting outstanding performance in slowing down skin aging and reducing wrinkles,” said Mr. Sakkarin. Additional ingredients were incorporated to further enhance the performance, such as moisturizers to lock in moisture and exfoliants to promote skin cell turnover process. These products were co-developed with two companies and can be found under two brands, Herb Miracle and iNSIEME.

Apart from developing cosmeceutical products, the research team at NANOTEC also provides research services. Their services range from efficacy improvement and product development to quality and safety testing, all come under FoodSERP, a one-stop service platform for food & functional ingredients catered to enterprise clients in health food and cosmeceutical industry.

Dr. Oraphan emphasized NANOTEC’s unique expertise and state-of-the-art facilities, including a research team with extensive expertise in nanoencapsulation and the Nanoparticles and Cosmetics Production Plant that offers production service ranging from small to large scale, all complying with the ASEAN GMP Cosmetic standards.

“NANOTEC is the only establishment in Thailand equipped with a high-pressure homogenizer to support the industrial production,” added Mr. Sakkarin. The center also has expertise in conducting clinical studies and a wealth of knowledge in cosmetic regulations in various countries to help with the design of formulation to conform with regulations in exporting countries.

The competent research team and its well-equipped infrastructure make NANOTEC an excellent partner for cosmeceutical manufacturers to unlock the full potential of Thai cosmeceutical industry.