POROUS MICROPARTICLES AS A VERSATILE PLATFORM FOR MODERN DRUG DELIVERY: A REVIEW

Porous microparticles have gained significant importance in pharmaceutical formulation due to their ability to enhance solubility, bioavailability, and overall therapeutic performance of drugs with challenging physicochemical properties. Their high surface area, adjustable pore size, and interconnected pore networks enable efficient drug loading and improved dissolution behaviour. A wide range of preparation methods, including spray drying, freeze drying, anti-solvent techniques, electro spraying, and ultrasonic spray pyrolysis, provide flexibility in designing particles with tailored porosity and morphology. Drug loading strategies such as solvent evaporation, vacuum-assisted penetration, high-pressure methods, and supercritical fluid techniques further influence drug distribution and release patterns. Characterization approaches like SEM, FT-IR, DSC, XRD, and dissolution studies play an essential role in understanding particle structure and performance. Continued study into material selection, process refinement, and characterisation is required to fully realize their promise in current pharmaceutical development. Altogether, porous microparticles offer a versatile platform capable of delivering immediate, controlled, or sustained release profiles, making them a valuable advancement for developing effective and reliable drug delivery systems.