Abstract
Chronic, non-healing cutaneous wounds (such as diabetic ulcersand pressure sores) present a massive global clinical challenge, often marked by persistent inflammation and high risk of secondary infection. While Eastern medicine heavily relies on multi-targeted botanicals such as Curcuma longa and Centella asiatica for tissue repair, their bioactive compounds suffer from poor aqueous solubility, high chemical instability, and low skin permeability. This study aimed to design, optimize, and biochemically evaluate an advanced, stable topical nanoemulgel matrix capable of protecting these herbal extracts, enhancing their dermal penetration, and providing a sustained bioactive release at the wound bed. Hydro-ethanolic and organic extractions of Curcuma longa and Centella asiatica were performed using an optimized Soxhlet apparatus. An oil-in-water (o/w) nanoemulsion was synthesized by dissolving the crude extracts in an Isopropyl Myristate oil phase, which was then blended with an aqueous surfactant network (Tween 80: {PEG 400} in a 2:1 ratio using high-energy probe ultrasonication (20kHz for 8 minutes). The optimized fluid nanoemulsion was successfully incorporated into a hydrated 1.0\% w/v Carbopol 940 hydrophilic polymer base and neutralized with Triethanolamine to yield a skin-compatible topical gel.