Development and Evaluation of Sprayable Nanoemulsion For Skin Cancer Using 5- Fluorouracil and Tretinoin

Skin cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide, often necessitating localized and targeted therapeutic approaches to minimize systemic side effects. This study focuses on the development and evaluation of a sprayable nano emulsion formulation co-loaded with 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) and Tretinoin for enhanced topical treatment of skin cancer. 5-FU is a well-established chemotherapeutic agent that inhibits DNA synthesis, while Tretinoin promotes epidermal turnover and enhances drug penetration. The nano emulsion was formulated using isopropyl myristate as the oil phase, Tween 80 and Span 20 as surfactants, as a co-surfactant. A pseudo-ternary phase diagram was constructed to identify the optimal nano emulsion region. The resulting formulation was evaluated for droplet size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, pH, viscosity, spray ability, and thermodynamic stability. Ex vivo skin permeation studies were conducted using Franz diffusion cells, and cytotoxicity was assessed on melanoma cell lines using MTT assay. The optimized formulation exhibited a globule size of ~100 nm, low polydispersity index (<0.3), and suitable physicochemical characteristics for dermal application. Enhanced skin permeation, sustained drug release, and superior cytotoxic activity were observed compared to conventional cream formulations. The inclusion of Tretinoin significantly improved the penetration of 5-FU, demonstrating a synergistic effect. The study concludes that the sprayable nano emulsion system offers a promising and patient-friendly alternative for the localized treatment of skin cancer, with potential to improve therapeutic efficacy and minimize systemic toxicity.