ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to outline the main nanosystems commonly used to improve solubility of poorly soluble drugs. It addresses the most commonly used nanocarriers to improve the bioavailability (BA) of poorly soluble drugs, focusing on the main challenges during their formulation, the mechanisms of internalization, and the characterization techniques for nanocarriers with poorly soluble drugs. A few reports already describe in vivo assays with a significant enhancement of drug-loaded nanocarriers' oral BA as compared to that of the free drug. Oral absorption gets initiated in the mouth and carries on in the stomach and the small intestinal, finally reaching the colon. This process occurs throughout the gastrointestinal tract membranes by mechanisms of passive transport and carrier-mediated transport. The chapter describes the various types of nanoarchitectures mostly used to improve the BA of poorly soluble drugs upon oral administration. The nanocarriers are polymeric-based nanocarriers, lipid-based nanocarriers, liposomes and solid lipid nanoparticles.
