Characteristics of lipid micro- and nanoparticles based on supercritical formation for potential pharmaceutical application

Abstract

The interest of the pharmaceutical industry in lipid drug delivery systems due to their prolonged release profile, biocompatibility, reduction of side effects, and so on is already known. However, conventional methods of preparation of these structures for their use and production in the pharmaceutical industry are difficult since these methods are usually multi-step and involve high amount of organic solvent. Furthermore, some processes need extreme conditions, which can lead to an increase of heterogeneity of particle size and degradation of the drug. An alternative for drug delivery system production is the utilization of supercritical fluid technique. Lipid particles produced by supercritical fluid have shown different physicochemical properties in comparison to lipid particles produced by classical methods. Such particles have shown more physical stability and narrower size distribution. So, in this paper, a critical overview of supercritical fluid-based processes for the production of lipid micro- and nanoparticles is given and the most important characteristics of each process are highlighted.

Praziquantel-Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Produced by Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction: Physicochemical Characterization, Release Profile, and Cytotoxicity

“…A positive outcome of the efficient separation between solute and supercritical solvent is the high purity product that is obtained, as the process leaves no solvent residues in the final product. Polymeric nanoparticles, metal nanoparticles, nanostructured microparticles, nanoporous materials, and SLNs have been produced using SCF [16].…”

New Developments in Liposomal Drug Delivery

“…98 The supercritical reverse phase evaporation (SRPE) method, introduced in 2001, uses supercritical CO 2 (scCO 2 ) to dissolve the phospholipids. 99,100 At supercritical values, the CO 2 is dense and noncondensable and act as a convenient solvent with temperature-and pressure-dependent solvent properties. As illustrated ( Figure 3), a variable volume view cell with a magnetic stirrer consists of phospholipids in an ethanol solution wherein a high pressure pump propels gaseous CO 2 .…”

A Recent Update: Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for Effective Drug Delivery

“…The supercritical liquid innovation removes the wide setting and assembly constraints for the production of SLNs related to other techniques but to produce the nanometer scale SLNs has been challenging. 71 SCF is defined as a substance that existed above its critical temperature (TC) and critical pressure (PC). The critical point represents the highest temperature and pressure at which the substance can exist as a vapour and liquid in equilibrium.…”