A review on developments and prospects of anti-inflammatory administration in microemulsions

Anti-inflammatory drugs often cause diverse side effects and have high lipophilicity, therefore there is a need to search for new anti-inflammatory agents or new drug delivery systems (NDDS) that improve their characteristics. Thus, microemulsions (ME) appear as a good hydrophilic and hydrophobic drug carrier that is drawing interest in the pharmaceutical technology area. On this review, primarily there is a focus on theories and detailed research on anti-inflammatory drugs encapsulation in ME for administration though different routes.

Then, it is demonstrated that incorporation of these agents into ME can offer benefits such as reduced toxicity, increased solubility and penetration power, improved bioavailability, increased dissolution rate that propitiates an increased effectiveness of various anti-inflammatory agents and a successful delivery through various routes of administration including oral, parenteral, ocular, topical and transdermal. However, factors such as surfactant type, production technique and zeta potential play a role on anti-inflammatory drugs release and toxicity results. Finally, because of ME favorable effects it emerges as a promising molecule carrier that can contribute significantly to therapeutic evolution, as well as to several areas where nanotechnology is applied, seeking not only to improve the life quality of patients, but also the inflammatory processes treatment.

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Author links open overlay panelLarissa Pereira Alves, Kevinda Silva Oliveira, Jayne Almeidada Paixão Santos, Joandra Maísada Silva Leite, Beatriz PatrícioRocha, Priscillade Lucena Nogueira, Renaly Ivynade Araújo Rêgo, João Augusto Oshiro Junior, Bolívar Ponciano Goulartde Lima Damasceno