J. Cosmet. Sci., 57, 339 Quly/August 2006) DELIVERY SYSTEM HANDBOOK FOR PERSONAL CARE AND COS­ METIC PRODUCTS, Meyer R. Rosen, Ed. (William Andrew Publishing, Nor­ wich, NY, 2005), 1106 pp., $295. Delivery systems have become a hot topic at seminars and meetings following a new emphasis on "actives" in skin care products. The stars were in alignment as marketing considerations, regulations (or their absence), and scientific advances con­ verged. As a result, there are many novel technologies to choose from. A delivery system can be self-contained (e.g., a patch), a traditional vehicle (e.g., an emulsion), or a composite consisting of a traditional vehicle in which a microsys­ tem, such as a liposome, is an important component. Among the many potential benefits claimed for various delivery sys­ tems are stabilization of a labile substance, improved homogeneity, enhanced deposi­ tion on skin or hair, and/or control of per­ meation through the skin. An additional consideration is that the delivery system itself may contribute directly to product performance. Although a great deal on delivery sys­ tems has been published, the information is scattered and a compilation that brings various aspects of the topic together is wel­ come. This book provides the reader with Book Revie"\\' philosophical viewpoints, historical per­ spectives, scientific background, and many examples of delivery systems and their ap­ plications. I recommend this book to ev­ eryone working in skin care and hair care, but especially to those who are new to the field. The editor has attempted to separate the 45 chapters (by over 7 5 authors) according to general topics, but there is inevitably a certain amount of repetition and overlap. This is not altogether a bad thing. Al­ though some of the chapters are devoted to proprietary technology and are somewhat promotional in nature, there is an abun­ dance of scientific description. Several chapters cover the basics of skin structure and penetration and give over­ views of the history and variety of delivery systems. Two chapters provide a compre­ hensive overview of microcapsules. Among other delivery systems considered are lipo­ somes, microparticles, microemulsions, multiple emulsions, foams, gels, lipid­ based systems, silicone-based systems, patches, and polymer-bound systems. Some of the chapters deal with particular actives and methods of improving their delivery. Still other chapters deal with safety testing and marketing. All in all, the treatment is encyclopedic.-JOEL L. ZA TZ-Professor Emeritus, Rutgers U niver­ sity 339

]. Cosmet. Sci., 57, 341-343 Quly/August 2006) Abstracts International Journal of Cosmetic Science Vol. 28, No. 2, 2006* Evaluation of in Vitro Antimicrobial Activity of Thai Basil Oils and their Micro-Emulsion Formulas Against Propionibacterium Acnes J. Viyoch*·t, N. Pisutthanant, A. Faikreua*·t, K. Nupangta*, K. Wangtorpol* and J. Ngokkuen* The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Thai basil oils and their micro-emulsions, on in vitro activity against Propionibacterium acnes. An agar disc diffusion method was employed for screening antimicrobial activity of the essential oils of Ocimum basilicum L. (sweet basil), Ocimum sanctum L. (holy basil) and Ocimum americanum L. (hoary basil) against P. acnes. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of the basil oils were determined using an agar dilution assay. The obtained results indicated that the MIC values of sweet basil and holy basil oils were 2.0% and 3.0% v/v, respectively, whereas hoary basil oil did not show activity"against P. acnes at the highest concentration tested (5.0% v/v). Gas chromatography­ mass spectrometry anal ys is revealed that methyl chavicol (93.0%) was the major compound in sweet basil oil, and eugenol (41.5%), y-caryophyllene (23.7%) and methyl eugenol (11.8%) were major compounds in holy basil oil. Hoary basil oil contained high amounts of geraniol (32.0%) and neral (27.2%) and small amounts of methyl chavicol (0.8%). The Oil-in-water (o/w) micro-emulsions of individual basil oils with concentrations corresponding to their MIC values were formulated. The stable o/w micro-emulsion system for basil oil consisted of 55.0% v/v water phase, 10.0% v/v oil phase (2.0 or 3.0% v/v sweet basil or 3.0% v/v holy basil oil plus 7.0% v/v isopropyl myristate), 29.2% v/v polysorbate 80 and 5.8% v/v 1,2-propylene glycol. Hydroxyethylcellulose at a concentration of 0.5% w/v was used as thickening agent. According to the disc diffusion assay, the formulations containing sweet basil oil exhibited higher activity against P. acnes than those containing holy basil oil, and the thickened formulations tended to give a lower activity against P. acnes than the non-thickened formulations. The prepared micro-emulsions were stable after being tested by a heat-cool cycling method for five cycles. These findings indicate the possibility to use Thai sweet and holy basil oil in suitable formulations for acne skin care. Study On the Transferability of the Time Temperature Superposition Principle to Emulsions M. Muehlbach*, R. Brummer* and R. Eggerst The instability of emulsions is basically clarified by a phase separation. The separated phase can either cream or sediment. Destabilization is mostly compounded by coalescence and gives a first indication through extension of droplets. In the cosmetics industry as well as many other branches of industry such as the food industry and paint and coatings industry, product stability is one of the most i mp ortant quality criteria Many stability tests have already been performed with the widest variety of methods from different fields of technology. In research and development it is especially important to obtain quick results on the stability of a formulation. Such results represent a tool that can help developers find an optimal formulation in a short time. In addition, they can shorten development times, leading to quicker introduction of a product in the market. Moreover, they can help to reduce storage stability tests to minimum, making less climatized rooms, space and work required to predict shelf-lives. The cycle test is an example of such a method developed in the field of rheology [1 ]. In this test the sample is subjected to continuously changing temperatures and its behavior observed. However, other methods can also conceivably used to predict stabilities. The aim of this work is to find a new model to predict the long-term stability. This model should be based on empirical data and it should determine the applicability of the time temperature superposition (TIS) principle to emulsions. * These abstracts appear as they were originally published. They have not been edited by the Journal of Cosmetic Science. 341