Self-Emulsifying Drug Delivery Systems (SEDDS): A Brief Review

Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) possess unparalleled potential in improving oral bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs. It is found that 40% of active substances are poorly water-soluble. Various technologies are developed to overcome this problem, like solid dispersion or cyclodextrin complex formation. Much attention has been given to lipid-based formulation with particular emphasis on self-emulsifying drug delivery system to improve the oral bioavailability of lipophilic drugs. It requires small amount of dose and also drugs can be protected from hostile environment in gut. Following their oral administration, these systems rapidly disperse in gastrointestinal fluids, yielding micro- or nanoemulsions containing the solubilized drug. Owing to its miniscule globule size, the micro/nanoemulsified drug can easily be absorbed through lymphatic pathways, bypassing the hepatic first-pass effect. This article gives an overview of SEDDS with emphasis on different types of self-emulsifying formulation, formulation, advantages, characterization, and recent development.