Self-Emulsifying Drug Delivery Systems

Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDSs) have gained exposure for their ability to increase solubility and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. SEDDSs are isotropic mixtures of oils and surfactants, sometimes containing cosolvents, and can be used for the design of formulations in order to improve the oral absorption of highly lipophilic compounds. SEDDSs emulsify spontaneously to produce fine oil-in-water emulsions when introduced into an aqueous phase under gentle agitation. SEDDS can be orally administered in soft or hard gelatine capsules and form fine, relatively stable oil-in-water emulsions upon aqueous dilution. This article presents an overview of SEDDSs and their applications.

In recent years, the formulation of poorly soluble compounds presented interesting challenges for formulation scientists in the pharmaceutical industry. Up to 40% of new chemical entities discovered by the pharmaceutical industry are poorly soluble or lipophilic compounds, which leads to poor oral bioavailability, high intra- and inter-subject variability, and lack of dose proportionality (1).