Cocrystals and Their Expected Pharmaceutical Applications

Abstract

Pharmaceutical cocrystals are H-bonded multicomponent mixtures formed from a molecular or ionic substance and a cocrystal former, which are solids under ambient conditions. The cocrystals are the latest material investigated to enhance drug properties such as solubility, dissolution rate, stability, powder flow, and hygroscopicity. Very close to cocrystals are salts which can be distinguished by the localization of proton between an acid and base. Crystal engineering of cocrystals is based on the concept of supramolecular synthons. The major experimental techniques in cocrystal screening are cocrystallization in solution, solvent evaporation, melt crystallisation, dry cogrinding, solvent-assisted grinding and cryogrinding.