Research in Cosmetic Valley

By: Eric Perrier, LVMH, et al.

Posted: February 19, 2010

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Finally, in order to complete standard mechanical tests of the skin to estimate its elasticity, imaging could be a very efficient tool; in relation, we have noted early interest in 2D elastography. This in-depth cartography of the mechanical properties of the dermis is expressed on a few wavelength scales and combines UBM and external mechanical stress.

by Claire Elfakir, University of Orléans:

What are the latest technologies in plant extraction?
Plants are important natural sources of biologically active substances, but the complexity of plant material presents a great challenge for quality control. It is well-known that the chemical composition of plants varies not only according to the subspecies, origins, cultivation activities, harvesting time and year, but also to the extraction method.

In the last decade, few extraction techniques have been developed that are as economic, rapid and efficient as conventional soxhlet extraction or maceration. Pressurized liquid extraction (PLE), supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) based on compressed fluids as extraction agents, ultrasound assisted extraction (UAE), and microwave assisted extraction (MAE) use ultrasonic and microwave energy, respectively, as a source to heat the solvent-matrix solution.

The use of supercritical carbon dioxide for the extraction of oils destined for nutraceutical applications has become desirable because removal of the extracting solvent is complete since residual carbon dioxide volatilizes on exposure to the atmosphere. MAE is increasingly employed in extraction of natural products because it is a cheap and rapid technique, and the extraction time and solvent consumption are strongly decreased. The higher extraction yield obtained using these different methods enables researchers to choose more convenient solvents, such as hydro-alcoholic mixtures for safe plant extraction both in industrial and laboratory scales.