SELF EMULSIFIED DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEM: A REVIEW

Abstract

Oral route is the easiest and most convenient route for drug administration. The major problem in oral drug formulations is low and erratic bioavailability, which mainly results from poor aqueous solubility. This may lead to high inter- and intra subject variability, lack of dose proportionality and therapeutic failure. The dissolution is the rate limiting step in their absorption and oral bioavailability. Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) possess unparalleled potential in improving oral bioavailability of poorly water-soluble or lipophilic drugs. Following their oral administration, these systems rapidly disperse in gastrointestinal fluids, yielding micro- or nanoemulsions containing the solubilized drug. In particular SEDDS is isotropic mixture of lipids, surfactant and cosurfactant that can disperse spontaneously in aqueous media and form fine emulsion. This review includes the current research and development in the field of SEDDS with emphasis of excipients, formulation aspects and characterization.