Characteristic and Formulation Turmeric Extract Nanoemulsion as Alternative Moisturizer in Atopic Dermatitis

Abstract

Currently, many moisturizers are developed with anti-inflammatory ingredients intended for mild and moderate atopic dermatitis (AD). One of the ingredients that can be developed is turmeric (Curcuma longa), which has potent anti-inflammatory activity. However, turmeric topical treatments require nano formulas due to their limited skin absorption. This study aims to obtain the optimal formulation of turmeric extract nanoemulsion as an alternative moisturizer for AD. The nanoemulsions are made by a self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS) using a simplex lattice design (SLD). Based on the solubility test, the oil components were sunflower oil, tween 80 as a surfactant, and polyethylene glycol (PEG) 400 as cosurfactant with a ratio of 1:8:1. The SNEDDS formulation was analyzed using software design expert version 10.03. The optimum SNEDDS formulation characteristic included an average droplet size of 13.37nm, an average polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.179, an average transmittance of 81.53%, and an average zeta potential of -38.57mV. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the turmeric extract formula meets the nanoemulsion criteria because the average droplet size is <200nm, the droplet distribution is relatively homogeneous as illustrated by the small average PDI, the transmittancesare above 80%, and is relatively stable with a zeta potential >±30mV.