Surfactant systems, drug effects

Surfactants are employed in nanoparticle suspensions. Chen et al. (2002) evaluated the pre paration of amorphous nanoparticle suspensions containing cyclosporine A using the evaporative precipitation into aqueous solution (ERAS) system. The effect of particle size was studied varying the drug surfactant ratios, type of surfactants, temperature, drug load, and solvent. Acceptable particle sizes suitable for both oral and parenteral administration were also studied. Additional articles in the nanoparticle delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs include Kipp (2004), Perkins et al. (2000), Young et al. (2000), and Tyner et al. (2004). 

Surfactants have been the most investigated chemicals to promote drug absorption from all body tracts. In this section, we will focus on work carried out from the early stages on the enhancing effects of surfactants on drug GI absorption as well as on their interactions with the GI membrane and their toxicity. Systems with multifactorial effects such as emulsions and microemulsions are not the focus of this review. 

Clarke, J.G. Wicks, S.R. Earr, S.J. Surfactant mediated 42. effects in pressurized metered dose inhalers formulated as suspensions. I. Drug/surfactant interactions in a model propellant systems. Int. J. Pharm. 1993, 93, 221-231. 

Cytotoxic effects of the selected microemulsions (Table 1) were measured in MCF-7 cells. The performed cytotoxicity studies demonstrated that only bis(Ci2-LA) allows for near 75% viability of tumor cells. However, presented data reveal that the lactobionic derivative (systems 9,10) is slightly more safe for MCF-7 cells than the gluconic one (systems 7,8). In the presence of microemulsions stabilized with dicephalic (systems 3-6) and single-head single-tail surfactants (systems 1,2), a significant cytotoxic effect was observed. For these reasons, a utility of those systems for pharmaceutical uses should be limited. From the other hand potential applications of the (C12-DX X = GA and LA) systems will be studied for preparation of submicron particles type nanocapsules as useful carriers of the safe drug delivery. Moreover, only systems stabilized by the bis(Ci2-LA) appear to be relatively not toxic for MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Thus microemulsions stabilized by this surfactant may be used in... 

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