Nano-boosted green coffee bean extract cream for enhanced anti-cellulite topical therapy: A randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Cellulite is a prevalent cosmetic concern among postpubertal women, and the efficacy of conventional topical therapies remains limited. Green coffee bean extract (GCBE) exhibits antioxidant and lipolytic activities relevant to cellulite management; however, its topical performance is constrained by poor skin penetration and retention. This study clinically evaluated the efficacy of a GCBE-loaded solid lipid nanoparticle (SLN) cream for the topical treatment of cellulite. In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, healthy female participants with thigh and gluteal cellulite applied either GCBE-SLN cream (0.5% w/w) or an equivalent free GCBE cream twice daily for three months. Clinical outcomes included visual cellulite grading, body weight, thigh and gluteal circumference, cellulite severity scoring, and ultrasound assessment of subcutaneous fat thickness. Compared to the free GCBE group, the SLN-based formulation produced significantly superior outcomes after three months of treatment, evidenced by greater reductions in thigh and gluteal circumference ( p = 0.0239 and p = 0.0470, respectively) and a marked decrease in subcutaneous fat thickness ( p < 0.0001 ), alongside marked improvements in visual grading ( p = 0.041 ) and overall skin appearance. No treatment-related adverse effects were observed throughout the study. The results concluded that the GCBE-SLN cream represents a safe, non-invasive, and effective cosmeceutical strategy for cellulite management, supporting its further development as a clinically validated and commercially viable topical formulation.