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Pharmaceuticals
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Application of Supercritical Fluids in Pharmaceutical Science
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Application of Supercritical Fluids in Pharmaceutical Science

A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmaceutical Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 March 2026 | Viewed by 658

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Cecília I. A. V. Santos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: transport properties; cyclodextrins; drug delivery; thermodynamic properties; thermodiffusion; supercritical fluids; supercritical CO2
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Supercritical fluids (SCFs), particularly supercritical CO2 (scCO2), have emerged as powerful tools in pharmaceutical science, offering green and sustainable alternatives to conventional solvent-based processes. This Special Issue focuses on the innovative applications of SCFs in drug formulation, bioactive compound extraction, and drug delivery system design. Topics include the use of SCFs for improving the solubility and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs, encapsulation techniques for controlled release, and purification methods to achieve high-quality, solvent-free pharmaceutical products. Contributions will explore the role of SCFs in the development of biocompatible delivery vehicles such as nanoparticles, aerogels, and liposomes, highlighting the advances in both research and industrial applications. By bringing together leading research in SCF technologies, this Issue aims to provide insights into how SCFs are transforming pharmaceutical processes, addressing key challenges in sustainability, safety, and efficiency while advancing the field of medicinal chemistry.

Dr. Cecília I. A. V. Santos
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceuticals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • supercritical fluids
  • scCO2
  • drug formulation
  • bioavailability
  • green chemistry
  • drug delivery systems
  • nanoparticle encapsulation
  • bioactive compound extraction
  • pharmaceutical purification
  • controlled release
  • sustainable pharmaceutical processes

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

22 pages, 3441 KB  
Article
Supercritical CO2 Extraction and Tandem Mass Spectrometry of the Medicinal Plant Sagan Dalya (Rhododendron adamsii)
by Mayya P. Razgonova, Alexander M. Zakharenko and Kirill S. Golokhvast
Pharmaceuticals 2025, 18(12), 1823; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18121823 - 28 Nov 2025
Viewed by 317
Abstract
Background: In Siberian folk medicine, Sagan-Dalya (Rhododendron adamsii Rehder) of the Ericaceae family is used as a tonic and restorative in the form of infusions and decoctions. Pharmacological studies have shown that alcoholic extracts of this plant enhance performance and have anti-inflammatory [...] Read more.
Background: In Siberian folk medicine, Sagan-Dalya (Rhododendron adamsii Rehder) of the Ericaceae family is used as a tonic and restorative in the form of infusions and decoctions. Pharmacological studies have shown that alcoholic extracts of this plant enhance performance and have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. Rhododendron adamsii shoots accumulate essential oil (up to 1.6%), flavonoids (1.8–3.0%), tannins (up to 6.9%), phenolic carbolic acids, β-sitosterin, oleanolic and ursolic acids, simple phenolic compounds, and coumarins. Methods: Supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (SC-CO2) is the most preferred environmentally friendly and selective method for extracting these natural compounds from the plant matrix of Rh. adamsii due to their high thermolability. Tandem mass spectrometry was applied to detect chemical compounds. Mass-spectrometry (MS) analysis was performed on an ion trap equipped with an ESI source in negative and positive ion modes. The capture rate was one spectrum/s for MS and two spectrum/s for MS/MS. All experiments were repeated three times. A four-stage ion separation mode (MS/MS mode) was implemented. Results: The operative parameters and working conditions have been optimized by different pressure (100–400 bars) and temperature (31–70 °C) regimes, and CO2 flow rate (10–25 mL/min) with 1 C2H5OH as a co-solvent. The extraction time varied from 60 to 90 min. The maximum global yield of biologically active substances (BAS) from R. adamsii leaves and stems was observed under the following extraction conditions: Pressure: 350 bar, extraction temperature: 65 °C, extraction time: 1 h; the global yield of BAS was 8.5 mg/g of plant sample; the share of the co-solvent (C2H5OH) was 2%. In total, forty-nine different BAS were identified in the Rh. adamsii SC-CO2 extracts. Conclusions: The obtained results may shed new light on the scientific basis for the traditional medicinal use of Rh. adamsii leaf and stem extracts. The pharmacological contribution of the identified phytocannabinoids requires further detailed study. It is hypothesized that the excellent transdermal permeability of supercritical extracts may open new therapeutic approaches using transdermal formulations based on SC-CO2 extracts of Rh. adamsii. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Supercritical Fluids in Pharmaceutical Science)
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