PEGylation of Nanoemulsion Using Spontaneous Emulsification Method

Nanoemulsion (NE), a lipid-based drug delivery system, plays an important role in delivering drugs and enhancing bioavailability. They are mainly taken up by the reticuloendothelial system, because of which their bioavailability is diminished, leading to poor therapeutic activity. It is important to protect this delivery system using a coating agent. Thus, we have coated o/w type NE using polyethylene glycol (PEG). The novelty in our study is use of dicarboxylic acid-linked PEG. Furthermore, the spontaneous emulsification method was used in preparation and peg coating, not mentioned previously. After the preparation of NE, various characterization and stability studies were carried out. We have also optimized the ratios for NE and PEG NE by using various concentrations of Smix, PEG, and water. Also, the same has also been plotted in a pseudoternary-phase diagram. As a conclusion, the PEGylation of NE was carried out successfully and may also be used for linking with other ligands because of the presence of COOH group.