Petrolatum can be defined as a semi-solid mixture of hydrocarbons, practically odorless and tasteless, obtained through de-waxing of heavy mineral oils. Scientific literature is full of evidence that petrolatum is an effective moisturizer and has been found to be the best material for relieving ordinary xerosis with unmatched short term and extended relief of dry skin. Petrolatum is a primary ingredient in over the counter topical pharmaceutical products, especially creams and ointments. It is commonly used in hospitals for a variety of health related applications. It has been cited to shield against excessive moisture and toxins for incontinent patients with reduced mobility. Besides this, it has applications in wound care, sports medicine and drug delivery.
Most products currently marketed by cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies are in a cream, lotion or ointment form. Application of these products over large surface areas is not convenient. Such products with high concentrations of Petrolatum are thick, oily and have poor aesthetics. We decided to solve the above problems by developing a petrolatum product in a spray form. The spray will cover large surface areas uniformly without too much rubbing. The hydrophobic property of the petrolatum makes it an effective moisture barrier, but also makes it difficult to evenly disperse in a fluid aqueous preparation. Evenly dispersed fluid preparations are essential for commercial manufacturing techniques, such as spraying. For solving the problem of dispersion and to improve aesthetics we decided to use our Novasome® brand of lipid vesicle encapsulation technology.
Novasome® vesicles are paucilamellar lipid spherules that can be formed from appropriate single – tailed amphiphiles. Amphiphiles have been shown to form lipid vesicles of different types of stabilities. These vesicles are 0.1 – 1.0 microns in diameter, with 2-5 bi-layer shells surrounding an unsaturated space that can be occupied by hydrophilic or hydrophobic materials. The vesicles can be produced in amounts ranging from millimeter to continuous flow batches at costs equivalent to those making simple emulsions.
Advantages of Novasomes