Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) contains lycopene which has efficacy as antioxidant. Lycopene is poorly water soluble thus was extracted in chloroform. The objective of this study was to prepare and characterize microemulsion from chloroform extract of tomato for topical delivery. The optimization formula for microemulsion was done by varying the composition of surfactant, co-surfactant, oil, and water. Microemulsion was prepared spontaneously in a hot-plate (70°C) using magnetic stirrer at 700 rpm for 30 minutes. After six weeks of storage, the most stable formula (Formula G) was obtained by composition of 40% tween 80 as surfactant, 5% glycerol and 15% sorbitol as co-surfactant, 5% VCO as oil phase, and 35% water. The turbidity value was less than one (<1). The chloroform extract, as active ingredient, was added to this formula in a concentration of 1000 ppm. Physical evaluations were done by visual observation, turbidity test, surface tension test, cycling test, centrifugation test, globule size, pH, and viscosity test. The result showed that the chloroform extract in microemulsion was clear and stable during six weeks of storage, with a surface tension was 41.90 dyne/cm, average globules size was 3.284 μm, no separation after centrifugation at 3750 rpm for 5 hours, pH in a range of 6.1 – 6.8, and viscosity was 8.95 poise. The recovery percentage of lycopene was conducted by determining specific extension of 1% standardized lycopene in chloroform ( 1% 1 cm E ) measured using UV-Vis spectrometer at λmax of lycopene 484 nm. The amount of lycopene in microemulsion was 76.26%
