Summary: | The aim of this study was to develop a coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) microemulsion system with improved solubility, penetration, and wound healing efficacy. Based on the pseudo-ternary diagram, microemulsions containing isopropyl myristate (IPM), Cremophor EL<sup>®</sup>, and Transcutol<sup>®</sup> HP were selected and confirmed to be nanosized (<20 nm) and thermodynamically stable based on the dilution and thermodynamic stability tests. The CoQ10-loaded microemulsion with a surfactant/co-surfactant (S/CoS) ratio of 2:1 (<i>w</i>/<i>w</i> %) demonstrated a higher permeation efficacy compared to microemulsions with S/CoS ratio of 3:1 or 4:1 (<i>w</i>/<i>w</i> %). Additionally, the CoQ10-loaded microemulsion with an S/CoS ratio of 2:1 demonstrated a relatively rapid wound healing effect in keratinocytes and fibroblasts. Overall, these data suggest that a microemulsion based on IPM, Cremophor EL<sup>®</sup>, and Transcutol<sup>®</sup> HP could be an effective vehicle for the topical administration of CoQ10 and could be utilized for the application of other therapeutic agents that have difficulty in penetrating the skin.
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