Chemistry Characterization and Application of Nanocrystals-based Drug Delivery System: Present to Future Perspective

With the development of new technologies, various drugs with higher efficacy have been found, but their therapeutic use is still limited owing to poor water solubility, which leads to poor systemic bioavailability. Currently, about 40% of newly discovered drugs have a solubility issue. It is a major challenge for formulation scientists to overcome this problem and make a robust and effective formulation. One such unique approach is to formulate the drug as nanocrystals which alter the physical characteristics of the drug, resulting in the development of a novel formulation strategy for poorly soluble drugs. Nanocrystals are produced by various techniques such as top-down, bottom-up, or combination methods. Nanocrystals improve the clinical application of problematic drug molecules by decreasing the particle size, enhancing the dissolution rate and reducing the dose requirement, etc. This approach is not only improving the bioavailability of the drug but also facilitates the drug targeting to specific sites due to its feasibility of surface modification and all administration routes. This article deals with the various aspects of nanocrystals including chemistry, production, stabilization, characterization, and application in the field of pharmacy.