Systematic Screening of Oil, Surfactant, and Cosurfactant for Ibuprofen Nanoemulsion

Rina Widiastuti; Akhmad Kharis Nugroho; Ronny Martien; Endang Lukitaningsih

doi:10.18596/jotcsa.1787016

Systematic Screening of Oil, Surfactant, and Cosurfactant for Ibuprofen Nanoemulsion

Abstract

Ibuprofen, a widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), provides effective symptomatic relief; however, its oral administration is often associated with systemic side effects. Topical delivery via nanoemulsion systems offers a promising strategy to enhance local bioavailability while minimizing systemic exposure. This study aimed to systematically screen and identify optimal oil, surfactant, and cosurfactant components for ibuprofen nanoemulsion formulations. Ibuprofen solubility was assessed in various oils, followed by screening surfactants and cosurfactants based on emulsification efficiency, drug-loading capacity, and compatibility. Nanoemulsions were prepared using high-energy sonication methods and characterized for droplet size, polydispersity index (PDI), drug loading, and physical stability over 30 days. Capryol 90 exhibited the highest solubility for ibuprofen (103.01 ± 0.53 mg/mL), while Kolliphor RH 40 produced nanoemulsions with the smallest droplet size (109.7 ± 56.9 nm) and lowest PDI (0.214 ± 0.02). Transcutol P enabled the highest drug loading (280 mg/mL) and supported formulation stability. Ultrasonic bath sonication resulted in smaller, more uniform droplets than homogenizer sonication, and the optimized nanoemulsion maintained its droplet size and PDI throughout 30 days of storage. These results provide a preliminary basis for excipient selection in ibuprofen nanoemulsion development and suggest the potential for developing a stable topical delivery.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

This research was supported by The Center for Higher Education Funding and Assessment (PPAPT) Ministry of Higher Educa-tion, Science, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, and The Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP), which funded a Doctoral scholarship awarded to one of us (Rina Widiastuti).

Thanks

We would like to thank the Indonesian Education Scholarship (BPI), The Center for Higher Ed-ucation Funding and Assessment (PPAPT) Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technolo-gy of the Republic of Indonesia, and The Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP) for a Doctoral scholarship awarded to one of us (Rina Widiastuti).

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Nanochemistry

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Rina Widiastuti
0009-0004-5669-4141
Indonesia

Akhmad Kharis Nugroho ^*
0000-0003-4277-5413
Indonesia

Ronny Martien
0000-0001-7291-6497
Indonesia

Endang Lukitaningsih
0000-0002-4969-5128
Indonesia

Publication Date

April 30, 2026

Submission Date

September 19, 2025

Acceptance Date

April 12, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: 2026-1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.18596/jotcsa.1787016

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA29LE96LZ

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Widiastuti, R., Nugroho, A. K., Martien, R., & Lukitaningsih, E. (2026). Systematic Screening of Oil, Surfactant, and Cosurfactant for Ibuprofen Nanoemulsion. Journal of the Turkish Chemical Society Section A: Chemistry, 2026-1, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.18596/jotcsa.1787016

AMA

1.Widiastuti R, Nugroho AK, Martien R, Lukitaningsih E. Systematic Screening of Oil, Surfactant, and Cosurfactant for Ibuprofen Nanoemulsion. JOTCSA. 2026;(2026-1):1-12. doi:10.18596/jotcsa.1787016

Chicago

Widiastuti, Rina, Akhmad Kharis Nugroho, Ronny Martien, and Endang Lukitaningsih. 2026. “Systematic Screening of Oil, Surfactant, and Cosurfactant for Ibuprofen Nanoemulsion”. Journal of the Turkish Chemical Society Section A: Chemistry, no. 2026-1: 1-12. https://doi.org/10.18596/jotcsa.1787016.

EndNote

Widiastuti R, Nugroho AK, Martien R, Lukitaningsih E (April 1, 2026) Systematic Screening of Oil, Surfactant, and Cosurfactant for Ibuprofen Nanoemulsion. Journal of the Turkish Chemical Society Section A: Chemistry 2026-1 1–12.

IEEE

[1]R. Widiastuti, A. K. Nugroho, R. Martien, and E. Lukitaningsih, “Systematic Screening of Oil, Surfactant, and Cosurfactant for Ibuprofen Nanoemulsion”, JOTCSA, no. 2026-1, pp. 1–12, Apr. 2026, doi: 10.18596/jotcsa.1787016.

ISNAD

Widiastuti, Rina - Nugroho, Akhmad Kharis - Martien, Ronny - Lukitaningsih, Endang. “Systematic Screening of Oil, Surfactant, and Cosurfactant for Ibuprofen Nanoemulsion”. Journal of the Turkish Chemical Society Section A: Chemistry. 2026-1 (April 1, 2026): 1-12. https://doi.org/10.18596/jotcsa.1787016.

JAMA

1.Widiastuti R, Nugroho AK, Martien R, Lukitaningsih E. Systematic Screening of Oil, Surfactant, and Cosurfactant for Ibuprofen Nanoemulsion. JOTCSA. 2026;:1–12.

MLA

Widiastuti, Rina, et al. “Systematic Screening of Oil, Surfactant, and Cosurfactant for Ibuprofen Nanoemulsion”. Journal of the Turkish Chemical Society Section A: Chemistry, no. 2026-1, Apr. 2026, pp. 1-12, doi:10.18596/jotcsa.1787016.

Vancouver

1.Rina Widiastuti, Akhmad Kharis Nugroho, Ronny Martien, Endang Lukitaningsih. Systematic Screening of Oil, Surfactant, and Cosurfactant for Ibuprofen Nanoemulsion. JOTCSA. 2026 Apr. 1;(2026-1):1-12. doi:10.18596/jotcsa.1787016