Nanocrystals Technology for Improving Bioavailability of Poorly Soluble Drugs: A Mini-Review

Nanocrystals technology for water insoluble drugs delivery has been expanding exponentially, as a robust approach, over the last ten years. Drug nanocrystals are sub-micron colloidal dispersion system of pure drug nanoparticles. Compared to the traditional pharmaceutical dosage forms, nano-crystals formulation presented many extraordinary properties such as enhanced dissolution rate and saturation solubility, high drug loading, excellent reproducibility of oral absorption, improved proportionality of dose-bioavailability, and increased patient compliance. This review explains the bioavailability improving mechanism in drug delivery to present the state-of-art nanocrystals. The physically stable nanocrystals with appropriate particle size and zeta potential could be prepared by screening of stabilizing agents. The marketed nanocrystal products and drug safety issues about the technology are also discussed. Moreover, the perspectives and challenges about improving nanocrystals investigated in this review could provide guidance for further study. Thus, this article could serve as a reference for optimizing the bioavailability of a specific drug candidate.