International Journal of Drug Delivery 4 (2012) 184-197 http://www.arjournals.org/index.php/ijdd/index Original Research Article Topical nanoemulsion of turmeric oil for psoriasis: characterization, ex vivo and in vivo assessment. Md. Sajid Ali 1 *, Md.Sarfaraz Alam 1 , Faisal Imam 2 , Masoom Raza Siddiqui 3 *Corresponding author: Md Sajid Ali 1 Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, K.S.A. 2 Translam Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Meerut, U.P., India. 3 Department of Chemistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, KSA. Abstract Psoriasis is a chronic; T lymphocyte mediated autoimmune inflammatory disorder characterized by well-defined erythematous (reddish) plaques with large adherent silvery scales that affects the skin and other parts of the body. The essential oil in turmeric is anti- inflammatory and effective in treating chronic disorders like psoriasis that have inflammation as a root symptom. Nanoemulsions are isotropic, thermodynamically stable transparent (or translucent) systems of oil, water, surfactant and co-surfactant with a droplet size usually in the range of 20–200 nm. Their long-term stability and ease of preparation (spontaneous emulsification) make it promising tool for drug delivery. The aim of this study was to obtain nanoemulsions of turmeric oil for psoriasis and to evaluate their physical stability, irritation potential and in vivo inflammatory activity. For the preparation of nanoemulsion titration method was used which was composed of 15% turmeric oil, 42 % Smix (1:1) and 43 % distilled water. The nanoemulsion was stable during the period of study and was found to be practically non-irritating in the organotypic HET-CAM model. The anti inflammatory activity of optimized nonoemulsion was carried out by carragennen induced paw edema and found to be 70.35 % inhibition. Keywords: Psoriasis, turmeric oil, nanoemulsion, anti-inflammatory, physical stability. Introduction Psoriasis is a chronic; T lymphocyte mediated autoimmune inflammatory disorder characterized by well-defined erythematous (reddish) plaques with large adherent silvery scales that affects the skin, joints, and tendons in up to 2.5% of the population worldwide [1-3]. The main abnormality in psoriasis is an increased proliferation of the skin layers due to excessive division of the cell in the basal layers of the skin. Severe itching may associate with the plaques. Dryness of the skin and silvery scaling are characteristics of this condition. The large number of anti psoriasis medications currently available to treat psoriasis raises important questions about fetal safety if a woman with psoriasis becomes pregnant while taking these medications. Unfortunately, published information on the effects of these medications on the developing embryo or fetus is limited. The teratogenic risk in human pregnancy was found to be undetermined for 91.2% of drug treatments approved in the United States between 1980 and 2000 [4]. Because of this uncertainty in risk estimation, women with psoriasis may be advised to use less effective treatment if they become pregnant or avoid treatment altogether because of concerns that the treatment might cause birth defects in their children. So our main aim is to treat such disorder by using some nature source. Many herbs have demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity. Turmeric (Curcuma longa belonging to the family of Zingiberaceae) is a rhizome, or fleshy root, that has long history in both Chinese and Ayurvedic (Indian) medicine as an anti- inflammatory agent. The essential oil in turmeric is anti- inflammatory and effective in treating chronic disorders like psoriasis that have inflammation as a root symptom. Turmeric oil has also demonstrated as a potent anti-inflammatory activity in a variety of experimental animal models [5]. Curcumin in turmeric oil [6] inhibits leukotriene formation, inhibits platelet aggregation and stabilizes neutrophilic lysosomal membranes, thus inhibiting inflammation at the cellular level [7]. Curcumin is reported to possess greater anti-inflammatory activity than ibuprofen [8]. Pharmacological treatments for psoriasis are generally based on antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory, or differentiation-modifying activity or some combination of these actions. Like most ISSN: 0975-0215 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License .