Vol. 7, Issue 2, Part J (2025)

Poor aqueous solubility remains a major barrier to the oral delivery of many BCS class II and IV drugs. Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS/SMEDDS) have emerged as an effective strategy to enhance dissolution, solubilization, and intestinal absorption. Recent advances highlight the superior Performance of phospholipid-based SEDDS, where phosphatidylcholine and other amphiphilic phospholipids act as emulsifiers, absorption enhancers, and membrane-interactive agents. Phospholipids reduce interfacial tension, improve droplet stability, form mixed micelles with bile salts, and promote lymphatic transport, thereby increasing bioavailability. This review summarizes the types of phospholipids used in SEDDS, formulation techniques, mechanisms of self-emulsification, characterization parameters, and applications in oral, topical, and targeted drug delivery. Marketed formulations and current research trends, including phospholipid-based nano-SEDDS and solid SEDDS, are also discussed. Overall, phospholipid-integrated SEDDS represent a promising platform for overcoming biopharmaceutical challenges and improving therapeutic outcomes.