Title:Cosmeceutical Aptitudes of Azelaic Acid
Volume: 13
Issue: 3
Author(s): Supriya Kumari Singh, Saumya Chaubey, Anil Bansal, Gurpreet Kaur and Deepinder Singh Malik*
Affiliation:
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara, University, Punjab,India
Keywords:
Acne, anti-hyper-pigmenting, anti-keratinizing, azelaic acid, lipid nano-carrier, Propionibacterium acnes.
Abstract: Azelaic acid (AZA) is a white crystalline dicarboxylic acid naturally found in grains,
rye, and barley. AZA has substantial biological and therapeutic abilities (viz a viz) its anti-inflammatory,
anti-oxidant, anti-keratinizing, anti-microbial properties, etc., which contribute to its applicability
in the management of mild to harsh dermatological complications (acne, rosacea, dermatitis,
hyper-pigmentation, carcinomas, etc.). AZA has shown its effectiveness against varied non-inflammatory
and inflammatory lesions by normalizing hyper-keratinization state and attenuating the
increased levels of microbial content. Topically AZA, either alone or in conjunction with other active
moieties, has proved to effectively prevent acne and several other hyper-pigmentary conditions.
Chronic applicability of AZA has been evidenced with the effects like itching, burning, stinging,
redness, etc. To deal with the former issues, research is being conducted to substitute the conventional
formulations with novel preparations (liposome’s, niosomes, micro sponges, lipid nanocarriers,
etc.), which could enhance the overall pharmaceutical and pharmacological profile of the
drug. This article is an attempt to highlight the basic physiochemical properties of AZA, its physiological
role (especially in dermatology), various commercial preparations and recent novel approaches
that are in research with an aim to augment the therapeutic and safety profile of AZA.
