Mysrayn Yargo de Freitas Araújo Reis
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Renaly Ivyna de Araújo Rêgo
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Beatriz Patrício Rocha
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Gabryella Garcia Guedes
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Ízola Morais de Medeiros Ramalho
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Surfactants are amphiphilic molecules of great interest in the pharmaceutical field due to their use in combination with other adjuvants to solubilize poor soluble drugs, improve their dissolution profile, promote permeation, increase drug delivery systems stabilization, among other characteristics. Literature shows that surfactants are included in several pharmaceutical forms composition: tablets, solid dispersions, emulsions, microemulsions, nanoemulsions, liposomes, and niosomes. This review aims to elucidate the different classes of surfactants based on their charges (cationic, anionic, nonionic, zwitterionic, and dimeric), the micelles formation process, and how surfactants molecules geometry can affect this phenomenon. Moreover, current studies regarding the benefits of surfactants in the development of formulations are presented. Finally, a discussion on how charges and chain length of surfactants can interact with the stratum corneum epithelial cells leading to increased permeation or skin irritability is reported.