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Self-Nanoemulsification of Healthy Oils to Enhance the Solubility of Lipophilic Drugs
Published on: July 27, 2022
Microemulsions as potential drug delivery systems: a review
M J Ansari1, Kanchan Kohli, Nitin Dixit
1Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi-110062, India.
PDA Journal of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology
|April 12, 2008
Summary
Microemulsions, stable oil-in-water systems, offer promising solutions for solubilizing poorly soluble drugs. These systems enhance drug bioavailability for topical and systemic delivery, addressing a key pharmaceutical challenge.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Materials Science
- Physical Chemistry
Background:
- Up to 40% of new chemical entities are poorly soluble or lipophilic.
- Solubilizing hydrophobic drugs with low aqueous solubility is a significant challenge in drug development.
- Traditional methods like co-solvents, surfactants, and pH adjustments have limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the applications of microemulsions for drug solubilization.
- To highlight microemulsions as novel systems for enhancing drug bioavailability.
- To discuss the potential of microemulsions in pharmaceutical formulations.
Main Methods:
- Microemulsions are thermodynamically stable, optically isotropic systems.
- These systems consist of water, oil, a surfactant, and a co-surfactant.
- Literature review focusing on microemulsion applications in drug delivery.
Main Results:
- Microemulsions demonstrate significant potential for solubilizing hydrophobic drugs.
- They enhance drug bioavailability through both topical and systemic routes.
- Dermatological applications are frequently reported due to excipient compatibility.
Conclusions:
- Microemulsions represent a promising approach for overcoming poor drug solubility.
- Their unique properties facilitate enhanced drug delivery and bioavailability.
- Further research into microemulsion formulations can address critical pharmaceutical needs.
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