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Multifunctional Role of Silica in Pharmaceutical Formulations

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Abstract

Due to the high surface area, adjustable surface and pore structures, and excellent biocompatibility, nano- and micro-sized silica have certainly attracted the attention of many researchers in the medical fields. This review focuses on the multifunctional roles of silica in different pharmaceutical formulations including solid preparations, liquid drugs, and advanced drug delivery systems. For traditional solid preparations, it can improve compactibility and flowability, promote disintegration, adjust hygroscopicity, and prevent excessive adhesion. As for liquid drugs and preparations, like volatile oil, ethers, vitamins, and self-emulsifying drug delivery systems, silica with adjustable pore structures is a good adsorbent for solidification. Also, silica with various particle sizes, surface characteristics, pore structure, and surface modification controlled by different synthesis methods has gained wide attention owing to its unparalleled advantages for drug delivery and disease diagnosis. We also collate the latest pharmaceutical applications of silica sorted out by formulations. Finally, we point out the thorny issues for application and survey future trends pertaining to silica in an effort to provide a comprehensive overview of its future development in the medical fields.

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81973490), China; Clinical Research Fund of Shanghai Municipal Health Commission (202140347), China; Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai (20ZR1458400), China; Three-year Action Plan for the Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shanghai Municipal Health Planning Commission (ZY(2018-2020)-CCCX-2001-03), China; Technical Standards Project of Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan (20DZ2200900), China; and the Graduate Student Innovation Ability Project of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Y2021086), China.

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  1. College of Chinese Materia Medica, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, People’s Republic of China

    Yating Gao, Yue Zhang, Lan Shen & **ao Lin

  2. Engineering Research Center of Modern Preparation Technology of TCM of Ministry of Education, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, People’s Republic of China

    Yating Gao, Yue Zhang, Yanlong Hong, Fei Wu & Youjie Wang

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Yating Gao: conceptualization and writing original draft. Yue Zhang: writing original draft. Yanlong Hong: figure and table design. Fei Wu: information collection and analysis. Youjie Wang: conceptualization and supervision. Lan Shen: formal analysis and reviewing. **ao Lin: conceptualization, writing—reviewing, and supervision.

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Gao, Y., Zhang, Y., Hong, Y. et al. Multifunctional Role of Silica in Pharmaceutical Formulations. AAPS PharmSciTech 23, 90 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1208/s12249-022-02237-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1208/s12249-022-02237-5

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