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We investigated the stability of all-trans-retinol on the liquid crystalline O/W emulsion composed of mainly alkyl polyglycerine, alkyl polyglucose and glycerine, and compared the activity of all-trans-retinol in the various forms of liquid crystal. Under certain conditions, novel liquid crystalline gel was formed around oil droplets, and layers of this liquid crystalline gel were very wide and rigid. (SWLC; Super Wide Liquid Crystal) SWLC was very helpful to stabilize retinol in O/W emulsion. After storage at 45 C for 4 weeks, all-trans-retinol in O/W emulsion composed of SWLC retained above 85% of the activity upon HPLC analysis, whereas those within no liquid crystalline emulsion gave 47% and normal liquid crystalline emulsion composed of fatty alcohols gave 40 60%. Retinol in oil phase is nealy insoluble in pure water, but in cosmetic emulsion systems can be slightly solubilized into water because emulsifiers and polyols in emulsion systems function as solubilizers. In this case, water in outer phase acts as a media for oxygen transporation$.$and thus destabilizes retinol. As a result, retinol in O/W emulsion has a tendency to become unstable. SWLC surrounding oil droplet which contains retinol is wide and rigid, therefore reduces contact between inner phase and outer phase To make SWLC, properties of emulsifiers are very important phase transition temperature should be high, and the structure of surfactants should be bulky, and their ratio should be suitable to make rigid and wide liquid crystalline gel layer in order to reduce contact between retinol in inner phase and water in outer phase.
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