RECENT ADVANCES IN SELF-NANOEMULSIFYING DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS (SNEDDS) FOR IMPROVING THE ORAL BIOAVAILABILITY OF POORLY WATER-SOLUBLE DRUGS: A REVIEW

Praveenkumar M.*, Sundaramoorthy K.

ABSTRACT

Poorly water-soluble drugs remain a major challenge in oral drug delivery because of their low aqueous solubility and slow dissolution, which can reduce oral bioavailability. Several formulation approaches have been developed to overcome these limitations, among which Self-Nanoemulsifying Drug Delivery Systems (SNEDDS) have gained considerable attention. SNEDDS are lipid-based formulations composed of oils, surfactants, and co-surfactants that spontaneously form fine oil-in-water nanoemulsions after contact with gastrointestinal fluids under gentle agitation. This property improves drug dissolution, enhances drug absorption, and may increase oral bioavailability. The present review discusses the fundamental principles of SNEDDS, Selection of formulation components, mechanism of self-emulsification, formulation development, and commonly used characterization techniques. In addition, recent advances in liquid and solid SNEDDS, their pharmaceutical applications for poorly water-soluble drugs, and current challenges are summarized. The review also highlights the potential of SNEDDS as an effective and versatile lipid-based drug delivery system for improving the therapeutic performance of poorly water-soluble drugs and outlines future directions for research and development.

Keywords: Self-Nanoemulsifying Drug Delivery System, SNEDDS, Poorly Water-Soluble Drugs, Lipid-Based Drug Delivery, Oral Drug Delivery, Solubility Enhancement.