Pharmaceutical Particles Design by Membrane Emulsification: Preparation Methods and Applications in Drug Delivery

Nowadays, the rational design of particles is an important issue in the development of pharmaceutical medicaments. Advances in manufacturing methods are required to design new pharmaceutical particles with target properties in terms of particle size, particle size distribution, structure and functional activity. Membrane emulsification is emerging as a promising tool for the production of emulsions and solidified particles with tailored properties in many fields. In this review, the current use of membrane emulsification in the production of pharmaceutical particles is highlighted. Membrane emulsification devices designed for small-scale testing as well as membrane-based methods suitable for large-scale production are discussed. A special emphasis is put on the important factors that contribute to the encapsulation efficiency and drug loading. The most recent studies about the utilization of the membrane emulsification for preparing particles as drug delivery systems for anticancer, proteins/peptide, lipophilic and hydrophilic bioactive drugs are reviewed.