Abstract: Ivermectin is widely used in the treatment of livestock and poultry parasitic diseases and human river blindness because of its broad-spectrum antiparasitic effect.Some studies have found that it also has antiviral,antitumor and immunomodulatory effects,and has great potential for exploitation.However,the clinical application of ivermectin has been greatly restricted due to its poor water solubility.In recent years making nano-delivery systems,cyclodextrin inclusion compounds,solid dispersions and self-emulsifying delivery systems are common methods to improve the water solubility of ivermectin and can be used as potential drug carriers.Nanodelivery systems include nanosuspensions,microemulsions,nanoparticles and hybrid micelles,which usually require the addition of surfactants or nanocarriers to prepare them,mainly by reducing the particle size of the drug to improve its aqueous solubility.Cyclodextrin inclusion compounds are formed by embedding the drug (guest molecule) with cyclodextrin (main molecule),which can improve the water solubility and stability of the drug,reduce the toxic side effects of the drug,and also have the ability to control the drug release.Solid dispersions are used to increase drug solubility by maintaining the amorphous state of the drug,but the amorphous state of the drug is in a high-energy state and has the tendency to aggregate.Self-emulsifying drug delivery systems are isotropic systems,consisting of oil,emulsifier,co-emulsifier and drug,which can spontaneously emulsify to form emulsions in a state of in vitro agitation with water or in vivo peristalsis in an aqueous environment.The authors describe the research on improving the aqueous solubility of ivermectin in recent years,with the aim of providing a theoretical basis for the preparation process and clinical development and application of ivermectin formulations.

Key words: ivermectin; water solubility; carrier; formulation; preparation process