Nanoemulsion Drug Delivery System: A Review

Nano-emulsion dosage forms have nano-sized droplets of disperse phase and are kinetically stable dosage form. Nano-emulsions are included under the category of new drug delivery system containing emulsified water in oil/oil in water system having mean globule size ranges from 10 nm to 1000 nm.  In the field of pharmacy, nano-emulsions play an essential role in the delivery of medication through various drug administration routes like parenteral, topical and oral route. Nano-emulsions are nano-sized emulsions which are used under high investigation as a drug carrier for enhancing the delivery of therapeutic agents. Nano-emulsions have enhanced functional properties as compared to standard emulsions. They are nowadays growing work for utilizing nano-sized particles in the research of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and food products.  Mainly, intrigue has been creating simultaneously with higher emulsification techniques and mechanisms of stabilization. Nano-emulsions are formulated by both methods like high energy emulsification or low energy emulsification methods. Rapid energy emulsification technique includes high shear mixing, high-pressure homogenization or ultrasonication. In contrast, low energy emulsification technique includes the merit of the physicochemical characteristics of the system, which exploits phase transitions to obtained nano-emulsion. This review article is an effort to summarize comparative aspects like introduction, types, advantages, disadvantages, components, factors affecting, methods of preparations, methods of analysis of nano-emulsion and applications of nano-emulsion.