Lipophilic Formulations for Increasing Bioavailability of Poorly Water-Soluble Drugs

Abstract

This review describes a new trend in the formulation of dosage forms containing poorly water-soluble drugs - lipophilic solutions, dispersions, liposomes and nanoparticles - dealing also with their composition and manufacture. The dispersions are further divided into non-emulsifying, self-emulsifying, self-microemulsifying and self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems. The cited systems are able to form micro- and nanoemulsions in contact with gastric juices. Formulations containing lipophilic nanoparticles as well as micro- and nanoemulsions are easily absorbed. A system classifying lipid formulations according to the drug composition is also described. The system enables the taxonomy of lipophilic drugs to be made; it also tries to describe their further metabolic ways in the organism.