Enhancing the topical delivery of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine: screening emulsifying systems

N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) is a hydrophilic compound (log P = –2.1) and a versatile topical active. A monomer of hyaluronan (HA), it shares many of its physiological effects: it improves skin hydration, promotes the production of collagen and HA by fibroblasts and, as a tyrosinase inhibitor, also reduces hyperpigmentation [1–3]. However, contrary to HA, GlcNAc has a low molecular weight (221.21 g.mol-1), which makes it a suitable compound to permeate the skin. Amphiphilic emulsifiers are used to stabilise emulsions, yet there is limited information about their influence on skin delivery [4]. This study explored the influence of different emulsifiers in optimising the topical delivery of GlcNAc.