Nanoprecipitation and the “Ouzo effect”: Application to drug delivery devices

Biodegradable nanocarriers such as lipid- or polymer-based nanoparticles can be designed to improve the efficacy and reduce the toxic side effects of drugs. Under appropriate conditions, nanoprecipitation of a hydrophobic compound solution in a non-solvent can generate a dispersion of nanoparticles with a narrow distribution of sizes without the use of surfactant (“Ouzo” effect). The aim of this review is to present the main parameters controlling the nucleation and growth of aggregates in a supersaturated solution and the characteristics of the obtained nanoparticles. The importance of the kinetics of mixing of the solution containing the hydrophobic compound and the non-solvent is highlighted. Illustrative examples of polymeric nanoparticles for drug delivery or terpenoid-based nanoprodrugs obtained by nanoprecipitation are reported.