Microwave-assisted Production of Solid Lipid Nanoparticles

摘要: The oral route is the first choice for drug administration, except in very specific situations such as when an immediate, systemic or local effect is intended. The oral route is also the most convenient and safest route of drug administration due to its easy and noninvasive nature, which also provides higher patient compliance and fewer complications. Despite these positive attributes, therapeutic efficacy of drug delivery systems can be problematic and can often be obscured due to physicochemical properties of the drugs and/or physiological constraints. Poor water solubility and/or poor permeability, the risk of degradation in the stomach and liver and poor hepatic first-pass metabolism are the major causes that not only affect oral bioavailability but also encumber the development of delivery systems. Industry estimates suggest that approximately 70-75% of new drug candidates and 40% of currently marketed drugs fail due to solubility and/or stability issues, prompting significant need for research in advanced lipophilic drug delivery systems.Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) present a promising technology for lipophilic drug delivery. Their unique combination of small particle size, large specific surface area, solid nature, particle shape and surface chemistry has generated enormous enthusiasm and anticipation regarding pharmaceutical applications. SLNs can combine the advantages of other traditional colloidal carriers such as liposomes, emulsions, polymeric nanoparticles and micelles, and at the same time reduce their associated shortcomings. Some of the potential attractive features of SLNs include protection of incorporated drug molecules from …