Gelled Oil-in-Water Microemulsions Stabilized with Natural Surfactant Decyl Glucoside as Cutaneous Nanocarriers for Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil: Formulation and Comprehensive Pharmacotechnical Characterization.
8 affiliations
- 1Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia.
- 2Department II-Pharmaceutical Technology, Formulation and Technology of Drugs Research Center, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.
- 3Center for Molecular Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia.
- 4Laboratory of Colloid Chemistry, "Ilie Murgulescu" Institute of Physical Chemistry, Romanian Academy, Splaiul Independentei 202, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
- 5"Ilie Murgulescu" Institute of Physical Chemistry, Romanian Academy, Splaiul Independentei 202, 060021 Bucharest, Romania.
- 6Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, 34000 Kragujevac, Serbia.
- 7Department II-Organic Chemistry, Formulation and Technology of Drugs Research Center, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eftimie Murgu Square No. 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.
- 8Pharmacy Doctoral School, Formulation and Technology of Drugs Research Center, Faculty of Pharmacy, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Cinnamon bark essential oil (CEO) possesses antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, its topical application is limited by poor aqueous solubility, volatility, and chemical instability. The aim of this study was to develop gelled oil-in-water microemulsions stabilized with Decyl Glucoside for the cutaneous delivery of CEO and to evaluate their physicochemical and pharmaceutical characteristics. Methods: Pseudoternary phase diagrams were constructed to identify the microemulsion regions using Decyl Glucoside, propylene glycol, CEO, isopropyl myristate, and water. Selected CEO-loaded microemulsions were characterized in terms of droplet size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, refractive index, viscosity, and apparent pH, and were subsequently gelled with Aerosil® 200. The resulting gelled microemulsions were evaluated for CEO content, apparent pH, rheological and textural properties, spreadability, in vitro release and skin permeation studies. The short-term stability of both liquid and gelled microemulsions was also assessed over 45 days. Results: Three CEO-loaded oil-in-water microemulsions were selected from the isotropic regions of the pseudoternary phase diagrams and successfully transformed into homogeneous gelled systems without phase separation. CEO incorporation increased the storage modulus and yield stress of the gelled formulations compared with the corresponding blank systems. The surfactant-to-cosurfactant ratio markedly influenced the rheological properties, mechanical strength, and in vitro release and skin permeation of CEO. Among the investigated formulations, MEG-CEO-2 provided the best balance between mechanical properties, CEO release, and skin permeation. Both liquid and gelled microemulsions maintained their principal physicochemical characteristics during the 45-day stability assessment. Conclusions: Decyl Glucoside-stabilized gelled microemulsions exhibited physicochemical and pharmaceutical properties supporting their further investigation as topical delivery systems for CEO. The results demonstrate that the surfactant-to-cosurfactant ratio can be used to tailor formulation performance, supporting a rational approach for the development of CEO-loaded dermal delivery systems. However, preservation of the biological activities of CEO following incorporation into these systems remains to be experimentally established.
Related
- Formulation, physicochemical characterization, and antimicrobial evaluation of drug-loaded essential oil microemulsions against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus -associated diabetic foot ulcer infections
- Ethosomal Nanocarriers for Trans-Resveratrol Delivery: Formulation, Physicochemical Characterization, Stability, and In Vitro Release Performance.
- Comprehensive Cardiac Computed Tomography for Anatomical Assessment, Functional Analysis, and Myocardial Tissue Characterization in a Patient With Coronary Anomaly and Cardiac Amyloidosis
- Formulation and characterization of solid dispersion adsorbate of Candesartan Cilexetil: in vitro dissolution and in vivo performance
- Formulation and ex vivo characterization of a kaempferol transethosomal hydrogel for the prevention of UV-induced cutaneous damage
BibTeX
@article{zivkovic2026gelled,
title = {{Gelled Oil-in-Water Microemulsions Stabilized with Natural Surfactant Decyl Glucoside as Cutaneous Nanocarriers for Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil: Formulation and Comprehensive Pharmacotechnical Characterization.}},
author = {Milja Živković and Georgeta-Hermina Coneac and Ana Barjaktarević and Snežana Cupara and Ana-Maria Cotan and Lavinia-Lia Vlaia and Monica Elisabeta Maxim and Aurica Precupas and Ksenija Obradović and Marina Kostić and Vicenţiu Vlaia and Ştefania Neamu and Ioana-Viorica Olariu},
journal = {Pharmaceutics},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/pharmaceutics18101317},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42942847},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Gelled Oil-in-Water Microemulsions Stabilized with Natural Surfactant Decyl Glucoside as Cutaneous Nanocarriers for Cinnamon Bark Essential Oil: Formulation and Comprehensive Pharmacotechnical Characterization.
AU - Milja Živković
AU - Georgeta-Hermina Coneac
AU - Ana Barjaktarević
AU - Snežana Cupara
AU - Ana-Maria Cotan
AU - Lavinia-Lia Vlaia
AU - Monica Elisabeta Maxim
AU - Aurica Precupas
AU - Ksenija Obradović
AU - Marina Kostić
AU - Vicenţiu Vlaia
AU - Ştefania Neamu
AU - Ioana-Viorica Olariu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/17
JO - Pharmaceutics
DO - 10.3390/pharmaceutics18101317
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42942847
AB - Background/Objectives: Cinnamon bark essential oil (CEO) possesses antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, its topical application is limited by poor aqueous solubility, volatility, and chemical instability. The aim of this study was to develop gelled oil-in-water microemulsions stabilized with Decyl Glucoside for the cutaneous delivery of CEO and to evaluate their physicochemical and pharmaceutical characteristics. Methods: Pseudoternary phase diagrams were constructed to identify the microemulsion regions using Decyl Glucoside, propylene glycol, CEO, isopropyl myristate, and water. Selected CEO-loaded microemulsions were characterized in terms of droplet size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, refractive index, viscosity, and apparent pH, and were subsequently gelled with Aerosil® 200. The resulting gelled microemulsions were evaluated for CEO content, apparent pH, rheological and textural properties, spreadability, in vitro release and skin permeation studies. The short-term stability of both liquid and gelled microemulsions was also assessed over 45 days. Results: Three CEO-loaded oil-in-water microemulsions were selected from the isotropic regions of the pseudoternary phase diagrams and successfully transformed into homogeneous gelled systems without phase separation. CEO incorporation increased the storage modulus and yield stress of the gelled formulations compared with the corresponding blank systems. The surfactant-to-cosurfactant ratio markedly influenced the rheological properties, mechanical strength, and in vitro release and skin permeation of CEO. Among the investigated formulations, MEG-CEO-2 provided the best balance between mechanical properties, CEO release, and skin permeation. Both liquid and gelled microemulsions maintained their principal physicochemical characteristics during the 45-day stability assessment. Conclusions: Decyl Glucoside-stabilized gelled microemulsions exhibited physicochemical and pharmaceutical properties supporting their further investigation as topical delivery systems for CEO. The results demonstrate that the surfactant-to-cosurfactant ratio can be used to tailor formulation performance, supporting a rational approach for the development of CEO-loaded dermal delivery systems. However, preservation of the biological activities of CEO following incorporation into these systems remains to be experimentally established.
SN - 1999-4923
ER -