Stability study of nanoemulsions of diosgenin

Abstract

Nanotechnology is an interdisciplinary scientific field where it is possible to manipulate, alter and develop new materials at the nanoscale, changing their properties. In the pharmaceutical and cosmetic areas there is the production of nanocarriers for pharmaceuticals, which can protect, encapsulate and release pharmacologically active compounds. In our study we chose the nanoemulsion as carrier, since it is widely used as a vehicle for drugs, by the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry. The drug used was Diosgenin, a steroidal sapogenin, found in roots of the wild yam (Dioscorea villosa). Diosgenin has a structure similar to progesterone and estradiol and is used as a chemical precursor in the industrial preparation of oral contraceptive pills and steroid hormones. The use of nanoemulsified diosgenin topically can bring a great number of benefits to the skin, considering its antioxidant properties and stimulating the production of collagen, thus being able to be incorporated into cosmetic anti-aging formulations. Thus, nanoemulsions can be a vehicle for diosgenin, encapsulating them, protecting them from possible degradation of the active substance and providing better permeation on the skin. The general objective was to produce and evaluate diosgenin containing nanoemulsions, aiming at the choice of a stable formulation. Nanoemulsions at concentrations 1mg.mL-1, 3 mg.mL-1 and 5 mg.mL-1 were produced using the high energy emulsification method. All formulations were submitted to different forms of storage. The characterization of the formulations allowed to evaluate the formulations of diosgenin nanoemulsions in concentrations 1 mg.mL-1, 3 mg.mL-1 and 5 mg.mL-1. The best condition for storing 1mg.mL-1 nanoemulsions without losing their physical-chemical characteristics during the 90-day period was under refrigeration. With this, there is a guarantee of the quality and stability of the diosgenin nanoemulsion, compatibility for topical use and the possibility of reaching the deeper layers of the skin, enhancing the effects of diosgenin. It was also possible to co-validate an analytical method by spectrophotometry in the visible region to identify diosgenin in nanoemulsions, ensuring the presence of the active substance in the nanoemulsion.