science

Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system

Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system rather than just read about it. In short: A self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) is a drug delivery system that uses a microemulsion achieved by chemical rather than mechanical means. That is, by an intrinsic property of the drug formulation, rather than by special mixing and handling.

Key takeaways

Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (SMEDDS) is a drug delivery system that uses a microemulsion achieved by chemical rather than mechanical means. That is, by an intrinsic property of the drug formulation, rather than by special mixing and handling. It employs the familiar ouzo effect displayed by anethole in many anise-flavored liquors. Microemulsions have significant potential for use in drug delivery, and SMEDDS (including so-called "U-type" microemulsions) are the best of these systems identified to date. SMEDDS are of particular value in increasing the absorption of lipophilic drugs taken by mouth. SMEDDS in research or development include formulations of the drugs anethole trithione, oridonin, curcumin, vinpocetine, tacrolimus, mitotane, berberine hydrochloride, nobiletin, piroxicam, anti-malaria drugs beta-artemether and halofantrine, anti-HIV drug UC 781, nimodipine, exemestane, anti-cancer drugs 9-nitrocamptothecin (9-NC) paclitaxel, and seocalcitol, alprostadil (intraurethral use), probucol, itraconazole, fenofibrate, acyclovir, simvastatin, xibornol, silymarin, alpha-asarone, enilconazole, puerarin (an isoflavone found in Pueraria lobata), atorvastatin, heparin, carvedilol, ketoconazole, gentamicin, labrasol, flurbiprofen, celecoxib, danazol, cyclosporine, and idebenone. Actual applications of Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system' (SMEDDS) remain rare. The first drug marketed as a SMEDDS was cyclosporin, and it had significantly improved bioavailability compared with the conventional solution. In the last decade, several SMEDDS loaded with antiviral drugs (ritonavir, saquinavir) were tested for treatment of HIV infection, but the relative improvement in clinical benefit was not significant. The SMEDDS formulation of ritonavir (soft capsules) has been withdrawn in some countries. Within the last years SMEDDS were also utilized for the oral administration of biologics. Due to ion pairing with appropriate surfactants these mainly hydrophilic macromolecular drugs can be incorporated in the lipophilic phase of SMEDDS. Provided that the oily droplets being formed in the gut are sufficiently stable towards lipases, can permeate the mucus gel layer in sufficient quantities and exhibit permeation enhancing properties the oral bioavailability of various biologics can be strongly improved SMEDDS offer numerous advantages: spontaneous formation, ease of manufacture, thermodynamic stability, and improved solubilization of bioactive materials. Improved solubility contributes to faster release rates and greater bioavailability. For many drugs taken by mouth, faster release rates improve the drug acceptance by consumers. Greater bioavailability means that less drug need be used; this may lower cost, and does lower the stomach irritation and toxicity of drugs taken by mouth. For oral use, SMEDDS may be formulated as liquids or solids, the solids packaged in capsules or tablets. Limited studies comparing these report that in terms of bioavailability liquid SMEDDS are superior to solid SMEDDS, which are superior to conventional tablets. Liquid SMEDDS have also shown value in injectable (IV and urethral) formulations and in a topical (oral) spray.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system

In research: Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Dosage forms, Drug delivery devices, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system in simple terms?

Why does Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system.