Volume : 13, Issue : 09, September – 2026

Title:

SELF-MICROEMULSIFYING DRUG DELIVERY SYSTEMS: ADVANCES AND EMERGING TRENDS

Authors :

Shiva Sree Chalasani*, Karthik Reddy Alla, Nafeez Syed, Harika Naganaboina

Abstract :

Most modern medicines don’t dissolve well in water, which often leads to poor absorption after they’re taken. This is especially typical with lipophilic medicines—drugs that stick to fat more than water. A solid solution to this limitation in lipid-based drug delivery is the Self-Micro emulsifying Drug Delivery System, or SMEDDS. The blend of oil, surfactant, co-surfactant, and drug in equal proportions is called SMEDDS. When swallowed, it mixes with stomach fluids and instantly forms a tiny oil-in-water mixture. This method boosts the drug’s surface area, making it more soluble—and that helps it absorb better in the gut and become more available in the body. SMEDDS work especially well for drugs that don’t dissolve easily in water or break down poorly. They usually come in soft or firm gelatin capsules. Surfactants like Tween 80 help medications cross the intestinal barrier by boosting absorption through better membrane penetration. A lot of newly discovered drugs don’t dissolve well in water, and that’s holding back progress in modern medicine. That’s why SMEDDS are a great way to boost the solubility, dissolution, absorption, and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs.
Key Words: SMEDDS, Poorly water-soluble drugs, Lipophilic drugs, Solubility enhancement, Dissolution enhancement, Microemulsion, Lipid-based drug delivery, Drug absorption

Cite This Article:

Please cite this article in press Shiva Sree Chalasani et al., Self-Microemulsifying Drug Delivery Systems: Advances And Emerging Trends.,. Indo Am. J. P. Sci, 2026; 13(09).

REFERENCES:

1. Neslihan Gursoy, R. and Benita, S. Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) for improved oral delivery of lipophilic drugs. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy; 2004; 58; 173–182.
2. Gershanik T, Benita S. Self-dispersing lipid formulations for improving oral absorption of lipophilic drugs: European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Bio-pharmaceutics. 2000; 50:179- 188
3. Tang B, Cheng G, Chun J. Development of solid self emulsifying drug delivery systems, preparation techniques and dosage forms: Drug Discovery Today. 2008; 13:606-611.
4. Patravale VB, Date AA, Kale AA. Oral self-micro emulsifying system: potential in drug delivery system. Pharma Technology Express Pharma Pulse special feature, 2003; 29: 44‐48.
5. Charman SA, Charman WN, Rogge MC, WilsonTD, Dutko FJ, Pouton CW. SEDDS: Formulation and biopharmaceutical evaluation of an investigational lipophilic compound Pharm. Res. 1992; 9: 87-93.
6. Pouton CW. SEDDS: Assessment of the efficiency of emulsion. Int J Pharm 1985; 27:335-348.
7. Reiss H. Entropy induced dispersion of bulk liquids. J Colloids Interface Science 1975; 53:61-70.
8. Craig DQM, Lievens HSR, Pitt KG, Storey DE. An investigation into the physicochemical Properties of self-emulsifying systems using low frequency dielectric spectroscopy, surface Tension measurements and article size analysis. Int J Pharm. 1993; 96:147-155.
9. Dabros T, Yeung A, Masliyah J, Czarnecki J. Emulsification through area contraction. J Colloids, Interface science 1999; 210:222-224.Wakerly MG,
10. Pouton CW, Meakin B, and Morton F. Self emulsification of Veg: oil Nonionic-Surfactant mixtures, ACS symp. Ser 1986; 311:242-255.
11. Wakerly MG, Pouton CW, Meakin BJ. Evaluation of the self emulsifying performance of nonionic surfactant-vegetable oil mixture. J Pharma Pharmacol 1987; 39:6.
12. Attwood, A. Colloidal drug delivery systems, In: Kreutzer, J. (Ecls.) Microemulsions. Marcel Dekker; New York; 1994; 33-71.
13. Lawrence, M. J. and Rees, G. D. Microemulsion-based media as novel drug delivery systems. Adv. Drug Delivery Rev.; 2000; 45; 89-121.
14. Khoo SM. et al., Formulation design and bioavailability assessment of lipidic self Emulsifying formulation of halofanitrine. Int J Pharma 1998; 167:155–164.
15. Khoo SH, Humberstone AJ, Porter CJH, Edwards GA, Charman WN, Formulation design and bioavailability assessment of lipidic self emulsifying formulations of halofantrine, Int J Pharm 1998;167: 155- 164.
16. Shah NH. Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) with polyglycolized glycerides for improving in vitro dissolution and oral absorption of lipophilic drugs. Int J Pharm 1994; 106:15–23.
17. Patel PA, Chaulang GM, Akolkotakar SR, Mutha SS, Hardikar SS, Bhosle AV; Self-Emulsifying Drug Delivery System: A Review. Res J Pharm Tech. 2008; 1(4): 315.
18. Amidon G, e.al, A theoretical basis for a biopharmaceutic drug classification: the correlation of in vitro drug product dissolution and in vivo bioavailability, Pharm.Res. 1995, 12, 413-420.
19. Kawakami K, Yoshikawa T, Moroto Y, Kanakao E, Takahuani K, Nishihara Y and Masuda K. Microemulsion formulation for enhanced absorption of poorly soluble Drugs I Prescription design, J of Contr Rel, 2002, 81, 75-82.
20. Cortesi R, Espositi E, Maietti A, Menegatti E and Nastruzzi C, Formulation study for the antitumor drug camptothecin: liposomes, micellar solutions and a microemulsion, Int J of Pharm, 1997, 159, 95-103.
21. N Farah, J P Laforet and J Denis, Self-Micro Emulsifying Drug Delivery Systems for improving dissolution of drugs: In vitro evaluations, presented by Gattefosse Patented Technology at the AAPS Annual Meeting in San Diego, November 1994.
22. Weiner M, B ernstin IL Advance Reaction to drug formulation Agents New York; Marcel Dekker, Inc, 1989.
23. S. Shafiq, et al. Development and bioavailability assessment of ramipril nanoemulsion formulation Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2007; 66: 227–243.
24. Patel PA, Chaulang GM, Akolkotakar SR, Mutha SS, Hardikar SS, Bhosle AV; Self-Emulsifying Drug Delivery System: A Review. Res J Pharm Tech. 2008; 1(8): 313-323.
25. Gershanik T, Benita S. Positively Charged Self-Emulsifying Oil Formulation for Improving Oral Bioavailability of Progesterone. Pharm Dev Technol 1996; 1:147-157.
26. Kang B, Lee J, Chon et al. Development of Self-Micro emulsifying Drug Delivery System for Oral Bioavailability Enhancement of Simvastatin in Beagle Dogs. Int J Pharm 2004; 274: 65-73.
27. Crison JR; Amidon GL. US Patent No. 5,993,858, (1999 issued November 30).
28. Patel PA, Vandana P, Paradkar P. Formulation of Self-emulsifying Drug Delivery System for Oral of Simvastatin: In vitro and In vivo Evaluation. Acta Pharma 2007; 57:111-122.
29. Gershanik T, Benita S. positively charged self-emulsifying oil formulation for improving the oral bioavailability of progestrone. Pharm Dev Technol 1996; 1:147– 157.
30. Atef E. and Belmonte AA. Formulation and in-vitro and in-vivo characterization of a Phenytoin self-emulsifying drug delivery system. Eur J Pharm Sci 2008; 35: 257-263.
31. Julianto T, Yuen K, Noor A. Improved Bioavailability of Vitamin E with a Self-Emulsifying Formulation. Int J Pharm 2000; 200; 53-57.
32. Ingle LM and Wankhade VP: New approaches for development and characterization of SMEDDS. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research 2013; 3: 7-14.
33. Chaus HA, Chopade VV and Chaudhri PD: Selfemulsifying drug delivery system: A review. International J of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Sciences 2013; 2:34-44.
34. Jinalbahen B and Patel M: Self-microemulsifying drug delivery system: A review. World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences 2016; 2: 2215-32.
35. Mahapatra AK, Murthy PN, Swadeep B and Swain RP: Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS): An update from formulation development to therapeutic strategies. Int J Pharm Tech Res 2011; 6: 546-68.
36. Talele SG and Gudsoorkar VR: Novel approaches for solidification of SMEDDS. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Bio Sciences 2015; 4: 90-101.
37. Kaushik D and Mittal V: Self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS) for phytoconstituents: A review. Current Drug Delivery 2015; 12: 244-53.
38. Gupta S, Kesarla R and Omri A. Formulation strategies to improve the bioavailability of poorly absorbed drugs with special emphasis on self-emulsifying systems. International Journal of Pharmaceutics 2013; 5: 16-32.
39. Milind PW and Singh PK: Solid self-emulsifying drug delivery system: Preparation techniques and dosage forms. International Journal of Biopharmaceutics 2014; 5: 101-8.