Deep Eutectic Solvents for Innovative Pharmaceutical Formulations

Abstract

Finding alternative solvents for industrial processes, such as chemical synthesis or extraction of biologically active molecules that are less toxic and more environmentally friendly than the organic solvents used up to now, is a major societal issue. These alternative solvents are often described as "green, biodegradable" solvents. Deep eutectic solvents, which are mixtures of simple and often naturally occurring compounds, have been extensively studied in this regard. Among their possible applications, there has been increasing interest in their use for the preparation of pharmaceutical formulations. Indeed, by changing the nature and ratio of their components, deep eutectic solvents can be adapted to a wide range of active molecules, from poorly soluble small molecules to labile macromolecules. The use of deep eutectic solvents to solubilize active molecules with low aqueous solubility and/or low permeability could be an alternative approach to increase their dissolution and in-vivo absorption. This could result in significant increases of bioavailability or enhanced therapeutic efficacy of currently marketed drugs. Moreover, deep eutectic solvents can be used to limit phenomena like polymorphism or degradation which present a challenge to drug formulation. However, despite being generally described as biodegradable and nontoxic due to the nature of their constituents, the safety of deep eutectic solvents, which possess both novel physico-chemical and biological properties, cannot be taken for granted and must therefore be carefully studied during development stages. Therefore, this chapter presents not only recent progress in the application of deep eutectic solvents in the development of formulations for improving therapeutic efficacy by different routes of administration but also studies that have been undertaken to investigate the toxicity of deep eutectic solvents to both living organisms and the environment.

Electrochemical Determination and Antioxidant Capacity Modulation of Polyphenols in Deep Eutectic Solvents

“…However, they are much easier to synthesize, involving cheap biosourced and/or biocompatible components. They are then regarded as biocompatible, biodegradable, and nontoxic materials, even if this last point probably requires further dedicated investigations. , Thus, DES have been successfully employed to substitute conventional volatile organic solvents in the extraction of various bioactive natural compounds including polyphenols . Polyphenols are an important class of phytochemicals, which are widely distributed as secondary metabolites in edible and non-edible plants .…”

“…This would result not only in an environmentally friendly and safe approach but also in high-added-value extracts. In this context, some works have reported improvement of stability or bioactivity owing to DES. − In addition, DES are nowadays considered in pharmaceutical science as part of the therapeutic formulation not only because they could advantageously increase the solubility of molecules and even macromolecules (proteins, nucleic acids, and polysaccharides) of pharmaceutical interest compared to the aqueous media but also bring interesting properties such as antimicrobial activity and enhancement of drug bioavailability. , …”

Recent Advances in Deep Eutectic Solvents as Shale Swelling Inhibitors: A Comprehensive Review

“… 177 DES is used for the solubilization of water-insoluble drugs, transdermal drug delivery, inorganic nanoparticle synthesis, and designing polymeric and self-assembled drug carriers. 178 DESs are implemented as functional additives for starch-based plastics. 179 The production of cellulose derivatives involves the usage of DESs.…”

Review and Perspectives for Effective Solutions to Grand Challenges of Energy and Fuels Technologies via Novel Deep Eutectic Solvents

“…22 In the case of DESs application for the fossil fuels industry, emphasis on specific processes such as fuel desulfurization, gas capture, and separation, has probed their suitability. 23 Over the past few years, DESs and NADESs have been considered for further complicated applications, such as biodiesel production, 24 biomedical and pharmaceutical applications, 25 power systems and battery technologies, 26 biomass processing, 27 nanomaterials synthesis, 28 and water treatment. 29 Gas capture and separation, water treatment, fuel conditioning and desulfurization processes are the most widely utilized chemical process and fuels industries; in addition, to obtain effective and sustainable outcomes from such classical processes, more innovative approaches are essential to complement the existing ones.…”