Abstract
The conversion of drugs into drug nanoparticles (nano-drugs) represents a feasible method to enhance bioavailability of otherwise sparingly soluble-drugs. Nano-drugs enhance bioavailability through the improvement of dissolution rate and saturation solubility of drugs, by virtue of their small sizes. Nano-drugs available in the market are usually produced by top-down methods, such as wet milling and high pressure homogenization. These conventional top-down methods, however, suffer from high energy and time requirement, as well as wide and inconsistent nano-drug size distribution. Furthermore, commercially available nano-drugs are predominantly crystalline while amorphous nano-drugs are largely neglected despite their propensity to generate high saturation solubility. In this review, nonconventional methods to prepare crystalline and amorphous nano-drugs are discussed, with the bioavailability enhancing characteristics highlighted. Both top-down and bottom-up methods are covered, finally, a sustainability-based perspective comparing amorphous and crystalline nano-drugs is presented.
Keywords: Nanoparticle, nano-crystals, amorphous drug nanoparticles, bioavailability enhancement, top-down, bottom-up.
Current Pharmaceutical Design
Title:Towards Sustainability: New Approaches to Nano-Drug Preparation
Volume: 19 Issue: 35
Author(s): Wean Sin Cheow, Rong Xu and Kunn Hadinoto
Affiliation:
Keywords: Nanoparticle, nano-crystals, amorphous drug nanoparticles, bioavailability enhancement, top-down, bottom-up.
Abstract: The conversion of drugs into drug nanoparticles (nano-drugs) represents a feasible method to enhance bioavailability of otherwise sparingly soluble-drugs. Nano-drugs enhance bioavailability through the improvement of dissolution rate and saturation solubility of drugs, by virtue of their small sizes. Nano-drugs available in the market are usually produced by top-down methods, such as wet milling and high pressure homogenization. These conventional top-down methods, however, suffer from high energy and time requirement, as well as wide and inconsistent nano-drug size distribution. Furthermore, commercially available nano-drugs are predominantly crystalline while amorphous nano-drugs are largely neglected despite their propensity to generate high saturation solubility. In this review, nonconventional methods to prepare crystalline and amorphous nano-drugs are discussed, with the bioavailability enhancing characteristics highlighted. Both top-down and bottom-up methods are covered, finally, a sustainability-based perspective comparing amorphous and crystalline nano-drugs is presented.
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Cite this article as:
Cheow Sin Wean, Xu Rong and Hadinoto Kunn, Towards Sustainability: New Approaches to Nano-Drug Preparation, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2013; 19 (35) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612811319350002
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612811319350002 |
Print ISSN 1381-6128 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4286 |
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