Chapter 14 - Self-Nanoemulsifying Drug-Delivery System and Solidified Self-Nanoemulsifying Drug-Delivery System

Abstract

Self-nanoemulsifying drug-delivery systems (SNEDDSs) and solidified self-nanoemulsifying drug-delivery systems (S-SNEDDSs) are considered promising drug carriers to enhance the solubility and bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs via oral administration. A SNEDDS generally consists of an oil, a surfactant, and a cosurfactant, spontaneously forming an oil-in-water nanoemulsion upon mild agitation. Recently, solidification of SNEDDSs has been developed to convert a liquid SNEDDS into a powder by employing diverse solidification techniques, which shows great advantages, such as easier manufacturing processes, more stable dosage forms, and better patient compliance. Both SNEDDSs and S-SNEDDSs can significantly improve the permeability or transport of poorly permeable drugs and prevent degradation of drugs in physiological environments. SNEDDSs and S-SNEDDSs have been applied in various fields such as oral administration and antimicrobial treatment. Great progress in characterization techniques, improvement of stability, and better understanding of the formation mechanisms of SNEDDSs and S-SNEDDSs are also summarized in this chapter.