title: Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS)--challenges and road ahead.
abstract: Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) has emerged as a vital strategy to formulate poor water soluble compounds for bioavailability enhancement. However, certain limitations are associated with SMEDDS formulations which include in vivo drug precipitation, formulation handling issues, limited lymphatic uptake, lack of predictive in vitro tests and oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids. These limitations restrict their potential usage. Inclusion of polymers or precipitation inhibitors within lipid based formulations helps to maintain drug supersaturation after dispersion. This, thereby, improves the bioavailability and reduces the variability on exposure. Also, formulating solid SMEDDS helps to overcome liquid handling and stability problems. Usage of medium chain triglycerides (MCT) and suitable antioxidants to minimize oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids are few of the steps to overcome the limitations associated with SMEDDS. The review discussed here, in detail, the limitations of SMEDDS and suitable measures that can be taken to overcome them.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmaceutics , NIPER Ahmedabad , C/o B.V. Patel PERD Centre , Ahmedabad , Gujarat , India.
authors.forename: Shambhu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dokania
authors.affiliation: a Department of Pharmaceutics , NIPER Ahmedabad , C/o B.V. Patel PERD Centre , Ahmedabad , Gujarat , India.
authors.forename: Amita K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Joshi
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D001682:Biological Availability; D002214:Capsules / Q000737:chemistry; D011232:Chemical Precipitation; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D003460:Crystallization; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D004355:Drug Stability; D004356:Drug Storage; D004655:Emulsions / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D018565:Food-Drug Interactions; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D010316:Particle Size; D012995:Solubility; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D002214:Capsules; D004655:Emulsions; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D014280:Triglycerides
keywords: Lymphatic uptake; oxidation; polymorphism; precipitation inhibitors; self-microemulsifying drug delivery system; solid SMEDDS; supersaturable SMEDDS