Antimicrobial Nanoemulsion: A futuristic approach in antibacterial drug delivery system

Abstract

Complex, kinetically stable emulsions with an average droplet size of 50–100 nm and a mean droplet diameter of 50–1000 nm is known as nanoemulsions. They are often referred to as tiny submicron, ultrafine, or finely dispersed emulsions; they have a tyndal effect and are transparent to the naked eye. Antimicrobial nanoemulsion is a type of o/w emulsion system that is stabilized by surfactants and alcohols that are used as co-surfactants. It is effective against a wide range of microorganisms, such as viruses (such as herpes simplex and HIV), fungi (such as Candida and dermatophytes), and bacteria (such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureus). The nanoemulsion droplets were designed to fuse by electrostatic attraction and a thermodynamic mechanism with lipid-coated microorganisms. The active component and the trapped energy generated by the nanoemulsion break down the pathogen’s lipid membrane when a sufficient number of nanoparticles fuse with the pathogens, resulting in cell lysis and the eventual death of the invasion microorganisms. Because there is less surfactant in each droplet, the targeted bacteria become unstable without endangering the healthy cells, giving the nanoemulsions a safety margin. Nanoemulsion has many benefits, such as being clear, biocompatible, non-immunogenic, biodegradable, able to hold drugs, release them slowly and steadily, being nanometrically small, having a large surface area, being easy to make, and being thermodynamically stable.