Solid Dispersions: A Revolutionizing Drug Delivery System

In recent decades, although there has been huge progress in the treatment of cancer, the oral delivery of anticancer drugs is still a significant problem. The majority of anticancer medications are poorly soluble in water, which may impact their bioavailability and pharmacokinetic performance and limit their oral effectiveness and safety. Therefore, it is crucial to devise a plan to alter the dissolution of anticancer medications in oral dosage forms in order to enhance their effectiveness and safety. The Amorphous Solid Dispersion (ASD) method enhanced the bioavailability of pharmaceuticals by augmenting the hydrophilic profile of poorly soluble medicines. For example, the release profile of Spironolactone is increased from ~27% to ~74%, Carvedilol from ~42% to ~93%, and Cefuroxime axetil from ~10% to ~92%. The solubility of Carvedilol is increased from 0.002 mg/L to 0.012 mg/L by converting it into an amorphous state, which increases its wettability and stabilizes supersaturation, overcoming dissolution rate limitations like those of other BCS Class II/IV drugs. The incorporation of a polymer can sustain a high level of supersaturation in the bulk medium and improve formulation stability. Thus, the purpose of this work was to provide an overview and clarification of the mechanisms and effects of an amorphous solid dispersion system against cancer. The term “dispersion” describes a product containing at least two different components, usually a hydrophilic matrix and a hydrophobic substance. Originally, this term was used by Se Kiguchi and Obi to refer to co-crystalline compounds that contain a material in microcrystalline form. The majority of newly developed medications are designed to be employed as solid dispersions because of their increased stability with consistent and efficient results in plasma following oral administration. Anticancer medications can be transformed into amorphous solid dispersions using different techniques like solvent evaporation, melting, melt agglomeration, and others. Literature has been searched from PubMed, Sci-Hub, ScienceDirect, books, etc. In this article, we highlighted the classification of solid dispersions, their preparation process, their marketed formulations, and their applications in increasing the bioavailability of anticancer drugs.