Review of pharmaceutical applications of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone

Abstract

N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) is a very strong solubilizing agent that has important applications in different fields of industry. This review presents NMP's physicochemical characteristics, its applications - especially in the pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacokinetics and toxicity. The characteristics of NMP, such as physicochemical properties, solubilization efficacy, toxicity, and adverse effects, are compared with those of other common solvents used in pharmaceutical industries. This review shows that NMP is an acceptable pharmaceutical solvent and that its efficacy, toxicity, and side effects are comparable with those of other common solvents.