Thermoresponsive micellar emulgel for topical release of Rose bengal dye and Copaifera reticulata Ducke: A phototherapeutic treatment alternative

Abstract

The development of dermatological platforms capable of reducing the load of resistant microorganisms and accelerating healing is highly desirable. Thus, a topical micellar gel, composed of Carbopol®, Pluronic® F127 and F68 polymers, Rose Bengal (Rb), and Copaifera reticulata Ducke oil-resin (CO) was developed as a phototherapeutic emulgel to fulfill this demand. Therefore, the system aimed to minimize the microbial load (by photodynamic therapy - PDT) and to accelerate the healing process (by Copaifera reticulata Ducke oil-resin activity). The emulgel showed a gelation temperature of 11.2 ± 0.0 °C, which allows its phase transition after body temperature stimuli. Furthermore, the emulgel had thixotropic and viscoelasticity performance at body temperature, and drug skin permeation ability. Recently we presented the potential activity of the topical Rb-loaded thermosensitive gel, which can eliminate the microorganism load. Therefore, the properties of the multidrug topical emulgel presented in this work are advantageous and have microbicidal and healing potential to be explored for future in vitro and in vivo studies.