OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop an anti-aging nanoformulation with Curcuma heyneana extract as bioactive substance.
BACKGROUND: Curcuma heyneana Valeton & Zipj extract has been proven in previous research to have antioxidant, anti-ageing, anti-inflammatory, and wound healing properties, which makes it a potential bioactive material for anti-ageing and sunscreen cosmetic products. Phytoantioxidants need to penetrate into deeper skin layers to ensure effectivity. Thus, a transdermal delivery system is needed to deliver the extract to a deeper skin layer.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to compare the permeability and anti-ageing activity of liposomal and ethosomal formulations of C. heynena rhizome ethanolic extract.
METHODS: In this study, C. heyneana extract was loaded into a phospholipid vesicular system in the form of liposome and ethosome formulations using the ethanolic injection method. The anti-ageing activity was assessed by analyzing the epidermal thickness, number of sunburn cells, distance between collagen fibres, and number of fibroblasts. While the histologic specimen scoring was carried out for the in vivo penetration study.
RESULTS: The ethosomal formulation had been found to have better penetration ability since it was able to reach the lower dermis area compared to the liposomes, which only reached the upper dermis. The ethosomal formulation of C. heyneana extract exhibited a better anti-ageing activity based on the parameters of epidermal thickness, sunburn cell count, fibroblast count, and the distance between collagen fibres in rat skin histology.
CONCLUSIONS: Ethosomes have been found to be a more proficient carrier system for transdermal delivery of C. heyneana extract compared to liposomes. Meanwhile, their penetration correlated with the effectivity of the formulation, suggesting that the vesicular system enhanced the penetration ability of the extract.

This study aims to discover the immunomodulatory potential of the ethanol extract (EE) and the ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) of Curcuma heyneana Valeton and Zijp (Indonesian name: temu giring) rhizome using mice models. The affinity of the curcuminoid (curcumin, dimethoxy-, and bisdemethoxy-) through the Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) was determined using Mollegro molecular docking in silico. The curcuminoid concentration of the EE and EAF of C. heyneana rhizome were determined using thin-layer chromatography densitometry. In vivo studies in mice models were conducted using the carbon clearance method to determine the phagocytosis index, and the number of leukocytes in the blood and spleen. Forty mice were divided into eight groups, including negative control (given 1% CMC-Na), positive control (given Stimuno Forte® suspension at a dose of 6.5 mg/kg BW), three groups given the EAF of C. heyneana rhizome extract at a dose of 125 mg/kg BW, 250 mg/kg BW, and 500 mg/kg BW, respectively, and three groups were given EE of temu giring rhizome extract with doses of 125 mg/kg BW, 250 mg/kg BW, and 500 mg/kg BW, respectively. E.E. and E.A.F. of C. heyneana (temu giring) rhizome extract contained dimethoxy curcumin (0.176 ± 0.01 and 4.53 ± 0.02 %b/b) greater than another curcuminoid, bisdemetoxy curcumin and curcumin. EE at 125 mg/kg BW and EAF dose at 500 mg/kg B W. of temu giring rhizome have immunostimulant activity with a phagocytosis index value of >1 compared to the negative control (p < 0.05). Additionally, both increase the number of lymphocytes, monocytes, and neutrophil cells in peripheral blood and spleen compared to the negative control (p < 0.05). Their activity was seen as similar to the positive control. Therefore, the EE of C. heyneana rhizome has immunostimulant activity, and the EAF of C. heyneana rhizome has immunosuppressant activity at 125 mg/kg BW and immunostimulant at a higher dose. The activity of temu giring as an immunomodulator was associataed with its affinity to TRPV1.