ABSTRACT
Objectives To prepare arbutin phospholipid complex (APC) to improve the skin permeability of arbutin and discuss the formation mechanism of APC. Methods Solvent evaporation method was used to prepare APC. The formation of APC was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR), 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The solubility, skin permeability and the ability to inhibit tyrosinase of APC were evaluated. Results The analysis showed that the weak interaction between phospholipid and arbutin molecules formed APC. The solubility of arbutin in APC in n-octanol increased from 1.29 µg/mL to 9.54 µg/mL, and the formation of APC effectively increased the lipophilicity of arbutinn. In vitro release study demonstrated that APC exhibited sustained release behavior. Ex vitro penetration studies showed that arbutin was difficult to reach the subcutaneous tissue through the skin, but APC showed strong penetration ability, of which permeation flux was improved from 0.02 mg/cm2 to 0.42 mg/cm2. Enzyme inhibitory activity test showed that the inhibition of APC on tyrosinase activity was 1.85 times of arbutin. Conclusions The formation of the complex improved the bioavailability of arbutin, and the complex held higher application potential for medicinal and cosmetic.