Abstract

NANOCRYSTAL TECHNOLOGY: A NOVEL APPROACH FOR POORLY SOLUBLE DRUGS

Radhika Parasuram Rajam*, Divya Prabha Krishnasamy, Narmatha Seenivasan, Supritha Karthikeyan and Kavya Muthukumar

ABSTRACT

Nanotechnology will affect our lives tremendously over the next decade in different fields; including medicine and pharmacy. One of the major application areas of nanotechnology in pharmacy is Nano particular drug delivery systems. Transfer of materials into the nano dimension changes their physical properties which are used in pharmaceutics to develop a new innovative formulation principle for poorly soluble drugs- the drug Nanocrystals due to the small sized increased surface area, enhances the dissolution rate and solubility of drug. Nanocrystals dispersions comprise of water, active drug substance and a stabilizer. They are physically stable due to the presence of stabilizers. The Nanocrystals are used as a physical approach to alter and improve the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics properties of various types of drug molecules like enhancing the oral bioavailability, improved dose proportionality; reduced food effects and suitability for administration by all routes due to the decreased particle size. Different techniques can be used to prepare Nanocrystals formulations of a drug powder such as top down and bottom up, spray drying and some new techniques. Numerous drugs associated with poor solubility and low bioavailability’s have been formulated into successful and drug products. Several marketed drugs were reformulated to improve efficacy, safety and patient compliance. Nanocrystals are emerging key material due to their novel shape and size dependent, chemical and physical properties. The main challenge in this field remains rationally controlled synthesis and large scale production. In this paper, current technology and methods in Nanocrystals preparation, stabilization, pharmaceutical applications and limitations of Nanocrystals are reviewed.

Keywords: Drug Nanocrystals, Nanotechnology, Bioavailability, Nanocrystals, Poorly water soluble drugs, Particle size.