Biosurfactant: Pharmaceutical Perspective

Surfactants are amphipathic compounds having both lipophilic and hydrophilic structural moieties in its molecule. They are mostly produced on microbial surfaces or excreted extracellular hydrophobic and hydrophilic moieties. Due to such nature, solubility of hydrophilic molecules is increased alongwith reductions in surface and interfacial tensions at the oil/ water interface [1]. Surfactants are the active ingredients found in soaps and detergents with the ability to concentrate at the airwater interface, because they are able to increase aqueous solubility of NonAqueous Phase Liquids (NAPLS) by reducing their surface/ interfacial tension at air–water and water–oil interfaces [2]. Surfactants are widely used in many industries, particularly pharmaceuticals. However, there is an inherent risk of environmental pollution and toxicological hazards associated with its usage. Pertaining to such concerns, of late, surface active molecules of microbial origin, referred to as ‘Biosurfactants’ (BS), have gained considerable interest [3].