Nanoemulsions definition, synthesis and applications

1. Nanoemulsions
Application of Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery
Antonio Di Martino

2. Nanoemulsions
• Dispersion of two immiscible liquids stabilized
by a surfactant
• Thermodynamically and kinetically stable
• Droplets from 5 to 200 nm

3. Nanoemulsions
 Emulsion
 Microemulsion
 Nanoemulsion
 Thermodynamically unstable
 Opaque
 High energy required to form
 Thermodynamically stable
 Clear
 It forms spontaneously
 Thermodynamically or kinetically stable
 Clear
 High shear application to form
Int. J. Nanomed. 2014,9,pp 1-8

4. Nanoemulsions - Classification
 Depending on the composition :
 O/W : oil droplets dispersed in continuous aqueous phase
 W/O : water droplets are dispersed in continuous oil phase
 Bi-continuous : microdomains of oil and water are dispersed within the system
J. Mat. Chem. 2012, 22, pp 9767-9773

5. Nanoemulsions - Preparation
Materials
Methods
 Low energy methods  High energy methods
 Phase Inversion Temperature
 Phase Inversion Composition
 Solvent Displacement
 Use of devices with high
mechanical energy to create
nanoemulsions
 Oils  Surfactants  Aqueous phase
 Capryol90
 Lauroglycol90
 Labrafil CS
 Poloxamer124
 PEG4000
 Captex 355
 Captex 8000
 Witepsol
 Myritol 318

6. Nanoemulsions - Characterization
Morphology
Size, PDI
Viscosity
Skin permeation
Surface characterization
Refractive Index

7. Nanoemulsions - Applications
 Agriculture
 Cleaning products
 Cosmetic
 Pharmaceutic
 Biomedical

8. Nanoemulsions - Drug Delivery
Advantages
 Increase drug loading
 Enhance drug solubility
 Bioavailability
 Controlled drug delivery
 Protection of drug
 Disadvantages
 Expensive process
 Stability
 Solubility
 Lack of understanding of interfacial chemistry
 More proofs about more benefits compared to classical macroemulsions
J. Phys. Chem. C 2008, 112 (33), 12669-12676.

9. Commercially Available
Nanoemulsions

10. Conclusions
Nanoemulsions are receiving increasing attention as drug carrier
Applicable for almost all routes of delivery
Wide range of molecules can be loaded
New technology could be developed to overcome the
poor absorption and miscibility of some phytopharmaceutical