Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences

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DEVELOPMENT AND OPTIMIZATION OF NEW CAPSAICIN MICROEMULSIONS FOR TOPICAL ADMINISTRATION

VICTOR COJOCARU1, LUDMILA OTILIA CINTEZĂ2*, MARIANA POPESCU3, NATALIȚA IONESCU (BORDEI)3, CONSTANTIN MIRCIOIU1

1.”Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, 6 Traian Vuia, 020956, Bucharest, Romania
2.University of Bucharest, Faculty of Chemistry, 4-12 Regina Elisabeta, 030018, Bucharest, Romania
3.Hofigal Export-Import S.A., Research & Development Department, 2 Intrarea Serelor, 042124, Bucharest, Romania

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In this paper, microemulsions were formulated using pharmaceutically acceptable components for topical administration of capsaicin: isopropyl myristate (oil), Tween 80 (surfactant) and n-butanol/n-octanol (cosurfactants). The purpose of this study was to develop a new method for screening the optimal composition of microemulsions based upon the investigation of the minimum surfactant:cosurfactant ratio and the concentration of tensioactive reagents at which microemulsion formation occurs, by determining the interfacial tension at the liquid-liquid interface between pepper tincture and oil phases. Investigations were conducted for each surfactant-cosurfactant mixture. Also, a n-butanol/n-octanol-free system was considered. The results obtained from the interfacial tension measurements were compared with the ones generated by the titration method, proving the similarity between the two.