Influence of different surfactants on development of nanoemulsion containing fixed oil from an Amazon palm species

Abstract

Astrocaryum vulgare is an Amazon palm species, popularly known as tucumã. A. vulgare oil has diverse biological purposes, but low solubility in water. Nanoemulsions provide a solution to this problem. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of different surfactants on the development of nanoemulsions. To determine the hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB), the influence of different surfactants on nanoemulsification was determined, the region of nanoemulsion formation on the pseudo-ternary phase diagram was analyzed, nanoemulsions were characterized, and the best candidate was subjected to stability assessment. The HLB was 14, and PPG-5-Ceteth-20 and sorbitan oleate were selected as surfactants. The nanoemulsion had a droplet size of 174.1 nm, a polydispersity index of 0.295, and a zeta potential of 20.7. A. vulgare oil is used in the Amazon for countless pharmaceutical applications. We demonstrate the impact of the chemical structure of surfactants, resulting in the formation of nanoemulsions containing A. vulgare oil.