Processing from natural products to effective pharmaceutical drugs: involvement of hot melt extrusion technique

Hot melt extrusion (HME) technique has been discovered since the middle of XIX century, with the initial application of plastic and rubber industry. HME just expanded its range of application to pharmaceutical fields in 1970s, from then the target of HME application is almost on medical compounds/materials. Natural products (NPs) were already the main source contributed to the forming of pharmaceutical drugs/devices, but they are facing some fierce competition from artificial/synthesised substances/materials. The application of HME technique on natural compounds can create some pharmaceutical system which not only enhance their advantages but also cover and reduce the remaining drawbacks of natural substances in current medical products. This review will focus mainly on the impacts of HME technique provide to natural compounds, then highlight and analyse some recent progress of this combination on pharmaceutical fields, as well as evaluating and predicting their developing trend in the future.