Progress in the study of drug nanocrystals

The poor water solubility of many candidate drugs remains a major obstacle to their development and clinical use, especially for oral drug delivery. Nanocrystal technology can improve the solubility and dissolution rates of many poorly water-soluble drugs very effectively, significantly improving their oral bioavailability and decreasing the food effect. For this reason, this technology is becoming a key area of drug delivery research. This review presents much of the recent progress in nanocrystal drug pharmaceuticals, including the characteristics, composition, preparation technology, and clinical applications of these drugs. Finally, the effect of nanocrystal technology on insoluble drugs is quantified and described.