Overview Of Pharmaceutical Emulsion
An emulsion may be defined as a biphasic system consisting of two immiscible liquids, one of which (the dispersed phase) is finely and uniformly dispersed as globules throughout the second phase (the continuous phase). Since emulsions are a thermodynamically unstable system, a third agent, the emulsifier is added to stabilize the system. Emulsion Either the dispersed phase or the continuous phase may vary in consistency from that of a mobile liquid to semisolid. Thus, pharmaceutical emulsions range from lotions (low viscosity) to creams (high viscosity). The particle size of the dispersed phase commonly ranges from 0.1 to 100 µm. Emulsifiers An emulsifier (also known as an "emulgent") is a substance that stabilizes an emulsion by increasing its kinetic stability or by forming a thin film around the globules of dispersed phase. Emulsifiers are part of a broader group of compounds known as surfactants, or "surface active agents". Read Also : Overview of biphasic liqu...
