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Updated: Jun 27, 2026
08:18
Self-Nanoemulsification of Healthy Oils to Enhance the Solubility of Lipophilic Drugs
Published on: July 27, 2022
Formulation Characteristics of Solid-Dispersible Self-Emulsifying Drug Delivery Systems for Dual Drug Delivery
1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) University, 19 Foster St., Worcester, MA 01608, USA.
Pharmaceutics
|June 26, 2026
Summary
This study developed freeze-dried, solid-dispersible self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) for oral chemotherapy. The novel double emulsion approach enhances co-delivery and cellular uptake of hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Oral chemotherapy faces bioavailability challenges due to gastrointestinal degradation and metabolism.
- Lipid-based systems offer a solution for overcoming oral delivery barriers.
- Developing stable, co-delivery systems for multiple agents is crucial for combination therapy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a freeze-dried, solid-dispersible self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS) using a water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) double emulsion.
- To achieve co-encapsulation of hydrophilic (doxorubicin) and lipophilic (ellipticine) chemotherapeutic agents.
- To enhance oral bioavailability and cellular uptake of co-delivered drugs.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of w/o/w double-emulsion SEDDS via a two-stage emulsification process for compartmentalized drug loading.
- Freeze-drying of SEDDS formulations to improve stability and storage.
- Characterization of physicochemical properties (droplet size, PDI, zeta potential, thermal behavior) and evaluation of drug encapsulation efficiency and cellular uptake.
Main Results:
- Optimized SEDDS demonstrated small droplet sizes (90-347 nm) and low PDI values (0.005-0.336), indicating stable dispersions.
- Freeze-dried formulations maintained dispersion characteristics upon reconstitution and showed high encapsulation efficiency (>97%) for both drugs.
- Enhanced intracellular uptake of both hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs was observed in breast cancer cells.
Conclusions:
- Freeze-dried double-emulsion SEDDS effectively enable co-delivery of hydrophilic and lipophilic drugs.
- This platform improves drug stability and enhances cellular uptake, showing potential for oral chemotherapy.
- The developed SEDDS represent a promising strategy for combination drug delivery, overcoming key oral administration barriers.
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