Abstract
The aim of the present work is to develop nanoemulsions (NEs), nanosized emulsions, manufactured for improving the delivery of active pharmaceutical ingredients. In particular, nanoemulsions composed of Neem seed oil, contain rich bioactive components, and Tween 20 as nonionic surfactant were prepared. A mean droplet size ranging from 10 to 100 nm was obtained by modulating the oil/surfactant ratio. Physicochemical characterisation was carried out evaluating size, ζ-potential, microviscosity, polarity and turbidity of the external shell and morphology, along with stability in simulated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), activity of Neem oil alone and in NEs, HEp-2 cell interaction and cytotoxicity studies. This study confirms the formation of NEs by Tween 20 and Neem oil at different weight ratios with small and homogenous dimensions. The antioxidant activity of Neem oil alone and in NEs was comparable, whereas its cytotoxicity was strongly reduced when loaded in NEs after interaction with HEp-2 cells.
Highlights
According to the European Commission definition, nanotechnology is a branch of engineering devoted to designing, producing and using structures and devices having one or more dimensions of about 100 nanometres or less
The major feature of nanoemulsions is their great stability of droplet suspension
Flocculation is naturally prevented by steric stabilisation, essentially due to the submicrometric droplet size
Summary
According to the European Commission definition, nanotechnology is a branch of engineering devoted to designing, producing and using structures and devices having one or more dimensions of about 100 nanometres or less. Nanoscience and nanotechnology are the study and application of extremely small things and can be used across all the other science fields, such as chemistry, biology, physics, materials science, engineering and in Department of Drug Chemistry and Technology, University of Rome “Sapienza”, Piazzale A.
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