Nanoparticle Formation

Pharmaceutical research and development scientists have applied combinatorial chemistry and molecular modeling techniques to develop drug compounds with properties more closely resembling natural mediators in the body. Many of these natural mediators are hydrophobic substances and are synthesized at or near the site of action; thus they do not need to overcome the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion issues associated with administered drugs. To overcome the challenges of absorption and distribution resulting from hydrophobicity and poor solubility, formulators have developed drug delivery systems such as solid dispersions, microemulsions, self-emulsifying systems, complexation, liposomes, and nanostructured particles created using particle-size reduction and particle-formation techniques.