Development and Evaluation of Corosolic Acid Nanoemulsion for Potentiation Activity Against MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells

Corosolic acid is receiving continued attention in medical therapy because of feasible antioxidant, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory activity. It is found naturally in several plant species, specifically Lagerstroemia speciosa (Banaba). However, its therapeutic activity is affected due to its poor solubility and absorption. The purpose of this research was to develop a nanoemulsion of corosolic acid to improve its poor water solubility and its therapeutic activity against the MCF-7 cell line. The nanoemulsion was formulated using the surfactants (Lemongrass oil and Cremophor EL) and the co-surfactant (Transcutol HP). The optimized formulation of the Corosolic acid nanoemulsion was characterized to evaluate its bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy. The MTT assay was conducted on the MCF-7 cell line to evaluate its anticancer efficacy. The average particle size of the optimized nanoemulsion formulation was 91.73 nm, with a Polydispersity Index of 0.229, indicating a monodispersed system. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the spherical droplet shape. Additionally, the optimized corosolic acid nanoemulsion displayed a zeta potential of −4.91 mV, and the IC50 for the corosolic acid nanoemulsion was 76.1 ± 2.52 μg/mL. These findings demonstrate that the nanoemulsion form of Corosolic acid improves its poor water solubility, thereby improving its bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy.