Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate physical characteristics of nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) mixture of alpha tocopheryl acetate, cetyl palmitate, Tween 80 and propylene glycol using high shear homogenization technique on NLC preparation to predict the optimum ratio of alpha tocopheryl acetate-cetyl palmitate to produce good characteristics of NLC loaded coenzyme, higher % EE, good penetration, controlled release, and stable.Methods: Lipid characterizations were conducted by diffraction scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transforms infrared spectrophotometry. Coenzyme Q10 concentration was measured by spectrophotometer at 275 nm. NLC characteristics based on their morphology was determined using transmission electron microscope, particle size, and its polydispersity index which were measured with Delsa Nano™ particle size analyzer. Percentage of coenzyme Q10 entrapped in NLC was determined by dialysis bag method. Coenzyme Q10 release profile was measured using with Franz cell for 12 hrs. The penetration depth of NLC coenzyme Q10 in abdominal skin of Wistar rat was determined with fluorescence microscopy using rhodamine B as marker. NLC physical stability based on minimum of particle size variation, pH and viscosity during 90 days storage.
Results:The result showed that formula with ratio of cetyl palmitate-alpha tocopheryl acetate 70:30 (% w/w) produce good characteristics of NLC loaded coenzyme, higher % EE, good penetration, controlled release, and stable in 90 days storage.
Conclusion:The coenzyme Q10 NLC system with cetyl palmitate and alpha tocopherol acetate as lipid matrixare characterized by small particle size, low crystallinity, spherical morphology of particle and high coenzyme Q10 entrapment efficiency. Crystal modification led to the formation of a more amorphous thereby increasing the drug entrapment