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Skin and Mucosal Delivery (Focus Group – SMD)

A Cholesterol-Modified Polyacrylate System for Stable Vitamin D₃ Topical Delivery

Chiara Di Meo – Professor, Sapienza University of Rome; Pietro Matricardi – Professor, Sapienza University of Rome and Tor Vergata University; Claudia Migliorini – PhdC, Sapienza University of Rome
Introduction: Topical delivery of vitamin D₃ is limited by its poor stability and formulation challenges. Here, we introduce a cholesterol-functionalized polyacrylic acid (PAAbCH) as a multifunctional excipient enabling both emulsion stabilization and rheological control. Oil-in-water emulsions were prepared using medium-chain triglycerides and systematically characterized. Optimized formulations (20% v/v oil) exhibited narrow droplet size distributions, exceptional physical stability under accelerated conditions, and pronounced shear-thinning behavior suitable for dermal application

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand the role of amphiphilic polymeric emulsifier in stabilizing O/W emulsions containing vitamin D₃
  • Evaluate the impact of polymer vs oil concentration on emulsion stability, size distribution, rheological behavior
  • Assess the effectiveness of PAAbCH-based emulsions in enhancing vitamin D₃ stability and epidermal delivery.