Solid lipid microparticles: formulation, preparation, characterisation, drug release and applications.

This review details the properties of solid lipid microparticles (SLMs): a promising drug carrier system that has been until now rather unexploited. First, the advantages of SLMs compared with other drug carrier systems are listed. Then an overview of SLM manufacturing compounds and techniques is presented. A detailed discussion of the characteristics of SLMs follows, and includes the determination of particle size distribution, the determination of SLM morphology, the solid-state analysis, the determination of SLM drug loading and the factors influencing it. The in vitro drug release studies that have been carried out so far and the parameters affecting them are also described. Some preliminary in vivo aspects (in vivo drug release studies, biocompatibility studies and in vivo fate) are also considered.