2025 Volume 25 Issue 12 Pages 515-521
Water-insoluble drugs and functional-food components are difficult to formulate in liquid form and are poorly bioavailable as a consequence; hence, solubilization is an important drug-development theme. Herein, we report our research efforts toward improving the solubilities of water-insoluble compounds using functional-polymer-based drug-delivery systems (DDSs) with the aim of expanding both effectiveness and applicability. As part of this study, we developed polyethylene-glycol-monostearate-based nanomicelle formulations for resveratrol and coenzyme Q10 as functional-food components. We also developed hyaluronic-acid- and polyvinyl-alcohol-based eye-drop formulations, as well as styrene-maleic-acid-copolymer-based intravenous formulations for amphotericin B, an antifungal drug. These formulations led to improved drug solubility and safety. This article introduces polymer-based DDSs as effective platform technologies that enable the solubilization of water-insoluble compounds.
