Introduction

Micro-drug delivery system materials are designed to encapsulate and deliver drugs at the microscale level. These materials serve as carriers or vehicles for drugs, providing controlled release, protection, and targeted delivery properties. They are carefully selected based on their biocompatibility, stability, and desired release characteristics.

Subtypes of Micro-Drug Delivery System

Microspheres

Microspheres are spherical particles with diameters ranging from a few micrometers to several hundred micrometers. These materials can be made from various polymers, proteins, or lipids and can encapsulate drugs within their matrix or on their surface. Microspheres offer controlled release profiles, protection of drugs from degradation, and the ability to target specific sites in the body.

Microcapsules

Microcapsules are small, self-contained structures that encapsulate drugs within a shell-like structure. The shell can be made from polymers, lipids, or proteins, providing a protective barrier for the drug payload. Microcapsules offer controlled release kinetics, protection of drugs from enzymatic degradation, and the ability to tailor release profiles based on the shell properties.

Nanoparticles

Nanoparticles are ultrafine particles with sizes typically less than 100 nanometers. These materials can be made from polymers, lipids, metals, or inorganic materials. Nanoparticles offer high drug loading capacity, prolonged circulation time, and the ability to target specific tissues or cells. They can be engineered to release drugs in a controlled manner, enhancing therapeutic efficacy.

Liposomes

Liposomes are spherical vesicles composed of lipid bilayers. These materials can encapsulate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs within their aqueous core or lipid bilayers. Liposomes offer excellent biocompatibility, the ability to encapsulate a wide range of drugs, and the potential for targeted drug delivery. They can be surface-modified to enhance stability, circulation time, and specific targeting.

Examples of Micro-Drug Delivery System Materials

Emulsifiers are mandatory components of microemulsions and serve to reduce interfacial tension and form adsorption films. There are many types of emulsifiers, but not all of them can be used in microemulsions, and their selection should not only consider the microemulsions themselves, but also consider the purpose of use, economy, and safety.

Polysorbate 80: also referred as tween 80, which is a pale yellow to orange-yellow viscous liquid with a slight special odor, slightly bitter and slightly astringent taste, and a feeling of warmth. It is soluble in water, ethanol, methanol, or ethyl acetate, and slightly soluble in mineral oil. It has the functions of emulsification, diffusion, solubilization, stabilization, etc. It is used for the preparation of microemulsion.

Emulsifier by itself is unable to produce the temporary negative surface tension needed for microemulsion production. In order to create a stable microemulsion, it is frequently required to add a co-emulsifier to the microemulsion. In the microemulsification process, co-emulsifiers primarily function to lower interfacial tension and increase the fluidity of the interfacial film.

Glycerol: or glycerin, can be produced by hydrolysis of saponified fats and oils, or by fermentation of sugar beet molasses in the presence of large quantities of sulfites. It is colorless, clarified viscous liquid, freely miscible with water or ethanol, slightly soluble in acetone, insoluble in trichloromethane or ether. It can be used as lubricant, wetting agent, plasticizer, preservative, and co-emulsifier of microemulsion.

Conclusion

Micro-drug delivery system materials have revolutionized drug delivery by enabling precise, controlled, and targeted administration of therapeutic agents. Working with Protheragen-ING, a professional supplier, supports the creation of stable and effective pharmaceutical products by ensuring the availability of high-quality excipients. Please get in touch with us by phone or email if you have any excipient needs, and we'll get back to you within 2-4 working days.