Nanocrystal based approach in colon targeting

Nanocrystals have unique characteristics among of the drug delivery systems in nanosized through high drug loading, favorable effects on pharmacokinetics, reduced toxicity, and easy of scaling-up. Nanocrystals are basically active pharmaceutical ingredient particles in the nanometer range, which is described generally as nanosuspension since they are produced by surrounding a stabilizer and suspending in a dispersion media. They can be administered via oral, buccal, nasal, pulmonary, parenteral, and ocular routes with different formulation technologies or brain delivery of nanocrystals. In recent years, there has been increased interest in colon-targeting nanocrystals where chitosan-derived stabilizers, pH-sensitive and time-released approaches, coating, and encapsulation strategies are being preferred. In this chapter, the features of drug nanocrystals, the principles of their manufacturing methods as well as stabilization mechanism of nanocrystals, and stabilizer agents used for their production and stabilization of the nanosuspension are handled out and the strategies focus on colon-targeting of nanocrystals drug delivery will be summarized. © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.