Nanoemulsão como veículo para fitofármacos e fitoterápicos de administração tópica: revisão de literatura

Abstract

The use of phytotherapeutic agents to treat skin disorders has garnered increasing interest due to their therapeutic properties and potential application across various dermatological conditions. However, the use of plant extracts and oils in dermatological therapy faces limitations stemming from the physicochemical instability, low aqueous solubility, and poor skin permeation of the bioactive compounds. Given this context, the general objective of this study was to analyze the potential of nanoemulsions as a pharmaceutical dosage form for the delivery of topical phytopharmaceuticals and phytotherapeutic agents. To this end, an integrative literature review was conducted by surveying scientific articles published between 2019 and 2026 across the PubMed, SciELO, ScienceDirect, and CAPES databases, as well as the MDPI scientific publishing platform; twelve studies were selected to form the research corpus. The results demonstrated that nanoemulsions offer superior kinetic stability compared to conventional emulsions. Methodologically, a trend was observed toward the use of low- and high-energy methods—such as spontaneous emulsification and ultrasonication—employing compatible surfactants to optimize the formulations' physical parameters and rheological behavior. Comparative analysis revealed that nanoemulsions significantly outperform conventional emulsions. Regarding antioxidant and anti-aging effects, nano-encapsulation protects polyphenols against premature oxidation. In terms of skin recovery, the system enables the sustained release of the phytopharmaceutical, stimulating fibroblast proliferation within the wound bed. Regarding hydration, the arrangement of nanoparticles creates a homogeneous, occlusive film over the stratum corneum, thereby mitigating transepidermal water loss. Finally, concerning photoprotection, the small droplet size promotes a compact arrangement on the skin surface that increases the ultraviolet radiation reflection coefficient, thereby raising the sun protection factor (SPF). It is concluded that nanoemulsions represent a highly promising technological strategy for the delivery of topical phytopharmaceuticals and phytotherapeutic agents, minimizing the limitations of conventional emulsions and paving the way for innovative developments in dermofunctional products.