Anti-aging effect of mustard and flax seed oils based nanoemulsion gel on aged rat skin through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity

Skin aging is a common issue that is linked to changes in skin physiology, hydration, and barrier function. Dietary fatty acids (FA), particularly poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), can influence skin characteristics. It is reported that a deficiency of fatty acids in the skin is associated with skin aging. Therefore, the goal of the current study is to evaluate the antiaging effect of flaxseed oil or mustard oil-based nanoemulsion gel rich in fatty acids such as omega 3 on D-galactose-induced skin aging. N-hexane was used to extract the oils of black mustard and flax seed from their seeds, and the oils' fatty acid composition was then determined. A full factorial design was created to assess the impact of three variables: oil type, oil concentration, and S:Cos ratio, on various responses: globule size, zeta potential, and emulsification time of the self-nanoemulsifying system. Additionally, the polydispersity index, transmittance percentage, refractive index, cloud point, and viscosity were also estimated. TEM of the optimized formulations revealed a spherical form of oil globules with nanosize. The values for the zeta potential ranged from -12 to -34.2 mV. The optimized formulations were incorporated into a hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose solution to form a nanoemulsion gel. Skin aging was induced using the D-galactose model, and the impact of topical skin application of the optimized formulation gels on different biomarkers such as amino acids, B5, oxidative stress markers, inflammatory mediators and histopathological examination was evaluated. The results showed a considerable improvement in the evaluated parameters of the treated groups when compared to the untreated D-galactose group. The findings suggest that the nanoemulsifying system utilizing high doses of fixed plant oils could serve as a promising vehicle for enhancing skin rejuvenation. Flaxseed oil formulation showed greater potential compared to mustard oil formulation as skin antiaging.