Nanoparticles from the English ivy plant to improve sunscreens

An innovative discovery indicates that tiny particles secreted from the root of the English ivy plant could be used in many groundbreaking applications in the fields of military technologies, medical adhesives and drug delivery systems, and in the recent field of radiation filters

An innovative discovery indicates that tiny particles secreted from the root of the English ivy plant could be used in many groundbreaking applications in the fields of military technologies, medical adhesives and drug delivery systems, and in the recent field of radiation filters.

When the scientist Mingjun Zhang watched his son playing in the yard of their home, he watched and the burning question came to him: "What makes the ivy plant in his yard cling so tightly to the fence?"

The scientist, a professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Knoxville in the state of Tennessee, USA, together with his research group and other colleagues, discovered that nanoparticles of the ivy plant may protect the skin from ultraviolet radiation at a rate four times better than the radiation filters metal-based ones sold today.

"The discovery of the use of ivy nanoparticles for a radiation filter arose out of a real need. While listening to a talk held at the convention regarding the concern about the toxicity of the use of metallic nanoparticles found in sunscreens, I began to wonder, 'Why don't we try to use organic nanoparticles that exist in nature?'" said the researcher.

The researcher hypothesized that the hidden ability of the ivy plant to climb surfaces lies in the yellow substance secreted from it. He placed this material on a piece of tin and examined it with an atomic force microscope and was surprised by the finding - masses of tiny nanoparticles. The properties of these tiny particles are what allow vine leaves, for example, to carry two million times more weight. These particles also have the ability to absorb and scatter radiation - the most essential feature for radiation filters.

"Nanoparticles have unique physical and chemical properties thanks to a large surface area/volume ratio that allows them to absorb and scatter light," explains the researcher. "Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide are currently used in radiation filters precisely because of the same property, but the nanoparticles of ivy are much more uniform than the metallic nanoparticles, and have unique material properties, which helps them increase the ability to absorb and scatter light and act as radiation blockers better."

The new research indicates that the ivy nanoparticles can increase the blocking rate of ultraviolet radiation at least four times better than their metallic counterparts. The researcher points out that several studies have shown that metal oxides of tiny sizes found in radiation filters may accumulate in various organs of the body, such as the liver or the brain. Ivy nanoparticles, on the other hand, exhibit better biocompatibility for humans and the environment. The research findings indicated that the ivy nanoparticles were less toxic to mammalian cells, which have a limited ability to penetrate through the human skin layer and break down easily in the body.

"In general, the idea of ​​using metal-based nanoparticles for cosmetic applications is not that good. They have a significant concern for the environment. "Natural nanoparticles, derived from plants, should be a better choice, thanks to the fact that they exhibit reduced toxicity to humans and an easier ability to break down in the body," explains the researcher. In addition, if you use sunscreens containing ivy nanoparticles there is no need to reapply them after swimming. This is because their degree of adhesion is higher than the metal-based particles. In addition, the new radiation filters do not create a white shade on the surface of the skin layer.
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