Parenteral Applications

In some cases, intravenous administration of drugs or nutrients is the only therapeutic option. Especially in emergency situations or during surgery, there may be a need to ensure that drugs are distributed throughout the body within seconds. This is also the case in situations where patients are unable to take medications orally or when the gastrointestinal tract is not functioning properly; intravenous administration of active ingredients or nutrients is the only alternative.

A large number of liquid substances with different chemical compositions are used in parenteral nutrition (PNT). Depending on the weight and age of the patient, as well as the duration of the PNT period, mixtures consisting of amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and fat are used. In the latter case, as well as in the parenteral application of lipophilic drugs, liposomes, oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions, micelles and mixed suspensions are typically used. The excipients used in these systems must be toxicologically harmless and metabolized. To avoid serious side effects such as thrombosis and embolism, the particle size of the administration system must not exceed 500 nm. The only emulsifiers currently used on an industrial scale in parenteral emulsions are phospholipids, because they are toxicologically safe and biodegradable emulsifiers.

Lipoid is the leading global supplier of highly purified phospholipids for parenteral applications such as oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions, mixed micelles, liposomes and suspensions. Lipoid pioneered the implementation of high quality standards that were later defined as standards by the pharmaceutical industry and were considered by regulatory bodies during the preparation of different pharmacopoeias.