Chitin-Lignin Complex as New Green Tissue-Carrier for Innovative Pro- Aging Cosme-Nutraceuticals

Fgure 1:Chitin source and recovery (By the courtesy of Raabe. [3]).

Chitin and Lignin are both natural polymers made from crustaceans and tree structures respectively [1-4]. They are biodegradable chemical complex- compounds that, recovered by the natural sources may be used to produce green carriers and products, according to the circular economy (Figures 1&2) [5-8]. These innovative complexes have the ability to entrap into their structure’s different active ingredients, both hydro and liposoluble, for making new products, human and eco-friendly, used as Medical Devices, Cosmeceuticals or nutraceuticals [5-8,10]. Naturally when the used ingredient is characterized by a micro and nano-dimension, so that both activity and effectiveness of the realized products result notably increased [5-7]. However, it is interesting to underline the possibility to entrap natural ingredients into the Chitin-Lignin complexes for making biodegradable fibers and tissue-carriers characterized as new drugs, nutraceuticals or cosmeceuticals, according to the ingredients used and selected by their biological and physicochemical characteristics [7,10-12]. These specialized tissues may be used as innovative carriers, alternative to emulsions, gel and powders [2,5,13].

Fgure 2:Lignin source and recovery (by courtesy Hu et al [4]).

Therefore, they may be considered new green structures because made by natural ingredients 100% biodegradable and hypoallergenic because free from water, emulsifiers, preservatives, fragrances and other chemicals, often cause of allergic and sensitizing phenomena [2,5,13,14] Moreover, these new tissuecarriers could be useful to produce, for example, innovative proaging products, having shown to be free from side effects and to be able to increase skin penetration of the selected active ingredients entrapped into their fibers ,in a better way, when compared to the usual emulsions [15].The efficacy of any ingredients, in fact, has been determined not only for Their own effectiveness ,but also for the capacity shown regarding the penetration through the skin layers and the skin annexes [15] .

Natural polymers, such as Chitin and Lignin, specifically at their micro/nano dimension represent a new area of Research of great interest. The nano dimension, in fact, can show atomic-like behaviours characterized by a higher surface compared to the bulk materials [16,17]. Due to their morphology and physicochemical characteristics, the Chitin-lignin nanoparticles seem to result a new carrier to make innovative products. It is interesting to underline that both the polymers are 100% biodegradable and obtainable at low cost and with a low consume of water and energy as well as the electrospinning necessary to produce the reported healthy tissues and bio-eco-compatible products [5-7,18-20]. Moreover, both the two polymers are not only useful as an innovative carrier but could represent source of active ingredients, when degraded by the skin enzymes.

idea of manuscript, writing-original draft preparation a review, editing and supervision Pm. The author declare that have read it and agree to the Publishing version.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

The author declare no Conflict of interest not applicable.

1. Morganti P, Stoller M (2017) Chitin and Lignin: Natural ingredients from waste materials to make innovative and healthy products for humans and plant. Chem Eng Trans 60: 319-324.
2. Morganti P, Morganti G, Gagliardini A, Lohani A (2021) From Cosmetics to Innovative Cosmeceuticals -Non-woven tissues as new biodegradable Cosmetics 8: 65.
3. Raabe D, Sachs C, Romano P (2005) Chitin organization in J Crystal Growth 283: 1-7.
4. Hu M, Junyou C, Yu Y, Liu Y (2022) Peroxyacetic acid pretreatment: A potentially promising strategy towards lignocellulose Molecules 27(19): 6359.
5. Coltelli MB, Morganti P, Castelvetro V, Lazzeri A, Danti S, et al. (2022) Chitin- nano Lignin complexes as carriers of functional molecules for skin contact applications. Nanomaterials 12(8): 1295.
6. Morganti P, Morganti G, Yudin WE, Chen HD (2021) Chitin and Lignin: Old polymers and new bio-tissue carriers. Dermatology and Dermatitis 6(3).
7. Morganti P, Chen HD, Gao XH, Morganti G, Febo D (2018) Chitin & Lignin: Turning food waste into Cosmeceuticals. J Clin Cosmet Dermatol 3(1).
8. Morganti P, Morganti G (2021) Circular and green economy: Which is the difference? In: Morganti P, Coltelli MB (Eds.), Introduction to the circular economy, Nova Science Publishers, New York, USA, pp: 19-39.
9. Brigham CJ (2017) Chitin and chito-Sustainable, medically relevant bio materials. Int J Biotech Wellness Industries 6(2): 41-47.
10. Morganti P, Li YH (2011) From waste materials skin-friendly nanostructured products to save humans and the Environment. J Cosmet Dermatol Sci Appl 1(3): 99-10.
11. Aranaz I, Mengibar M, Harris R, Miralles B, Acosta N, et al. (2014) Role of physicochemical properties of Chitin on their functionality. Curr Chem Biol 8(1): 27-42.
12. Sanchez-Hernadez E, Langa-Lomba N, Gonzalez-Garcia V, Casanova- Gascon J, Martin-Gil J, et al. (2022) Lignin-Chitosan nanocarriers for the delivery of bioactive natural products against wood-decathlon phytopathogens. Agronomy 12(2): 461.
13. Yudin VE, Dobrovolskaya I, Dresvyalina EN, Malevakaia E, ShabuninAS, et al. (2022) Natural fibers for natural tissues. In: Morganti P (Ed.), Biofunctional textiles for an ageing Lambert Academy Publishing, Chisinau, Moldova, 2: 624-668.
14. Biala I, Zelent-Kraciuk S, Jurowski K (2023) The skin sensitization of ingredients: Review of actual regulatory Toxics 11(4): 392.
15. Morganti P, Fabrizi G, Coltelli MB, Danti S, Azimi B, et al. (2025) Skin delivery and innovative carrier’s effectiveness. Dermatology and Dermatitis 10(5).
16. Morganti P, Morganti G, Coltelli MB (2021) Smart and sustainable hair products based on Chitin-derived Cosmetics 8(1): 20
17. Ahuj A, Bajpai M (2024) Novel Arena of nanocosmetics: Applications and their remarkable contribution in the management of dermal disorders, topical delivery, future trends and Curr Pharm Des 30(2): 115-139.
18. Morganti P, Danti S, Coltelli MB (2018) Chitin and Lignin to produce Biocompatible tissues Res Clin Dermatol 1(1): 5-11.
19. Javesser RC (2022) Nanotechnoogy in the health J NanoSci Res Rep 4(4): 1-4.
20. Kodolova-Chukhuutseva VV, Desvyanina UV, Nashchekina YA, Dobrovol’Skaja IP, Bystrov SG, et al. (2022) Application of the composite fibers based on chitosan and chitin nanofibrils in J Funct Biomater 13(4): 198.