Deep eutectic solvents: An innovative green approach for Solubility enhancement of poorly water-soluble drugs

This grant aims to create new knowledge for developing innovative deep eutectic solvents to improve the solubility of poorly soluble drugs and to simultaneously reduce drug doses and lessen the environmental impact of the pharmaceutical sector by using DESs as innovative green solvents. Key Grant Elements: Use of innovative combinations of in silico methods, based on Hansen solubility parameters and calculation of thermodynamic properties by quantum mechanical data for optimization of the results and to minimize experimental expenditure; Formation of DES by mixing DES components at a specified hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) to hydrogen bond donor (HBD) molar ratio; Evaluating physicochemical properties of the obtained DESs to determine their suitability for further pharmaceutical applications; Solubility studies involving a drug + water + DES and surfactant+ DES combinations; Evaluation of suitability of obtained DESs for solubility enhancement of poorly water-soluble drugs (model compounds: ibuprofen,naproxen and apigenin); Assessment of widening of potential application of DESs in other priority pharmaceutical directions in accordance with goals of RSU and Lead Researcher group, preliminary experiments of ex vivo drug permeability testing across gastrointestinal membranes. This grant shows both a challenge and a significant opportunity for DESs potential application as a green innovative alternative in the pharmaceutical sector.

Dissemination Activities

On 22 May 2025, the Scientific Lunch A Bridge of Ideas Between Scientists took place at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry—an informal yet content-rich meeting where researchers in biomedicine and bioresources exchanged ideas, research directions, and visions for future collaboration. The event featured a presentation by Dr. Līga Pētersone, Head of the RSU Faculty of Pharmacy Research Group, disseminating the grant results to an audience of pharmaceutical researchers and promoting knowledge exchange and networking. Feedback from the event helped identify potential applications of deep eutectic solvents in pharmaceutical formulations and inspired new ideas that led to the submission of a collaborative FLPP project with scientists from the partner Institute of Wood Chemistry. LinkedIn.
Gurkina, K. Eutectic mixtures with choline chloride and polyols: Solubility enhancement of ibuprofen in aqueous solutions. The 5th Conference on Innovation in Drug Delivery, Turin, Italy, 1–3 October 2025. LinkedIn.
Gurkina, K. Preparation of eco-friendly eutectic solvents to improve the solubility of drugs.  EcoBalt2025 conference, Vilnius, Lithuania., 8–10 October 2025. LinkedIn.

Publications

Liga Petersone, Rihards Mahinovs, Zoltán Márk Horváth,  Valentyn Mohylyuk. A green innovative approach for solubility enhancement of poorly water-soluble drugs using choline chloride-polyol eutectic solvents. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(7), 3110; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27073110