Crystal Engineering: A Powerful Tool towards Designing Pharmaceutical Solids with Desirable Physicochemical Properties

Nowadays various techniques have been applied for the improvement of physicochemical properties such as solubility, bioavailability, stability and hygroscopic nature of pharmaceutical solids without effecting the biochemical composition of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). Supramolecular approach specially the crystal engineering technique is one of the best techniques which play an important role to improve the physico-chemical, thermal and mechanical properties of drug molecules. Crystal engineering approach offers a number of routes such as co-crystallization, polymorphism, hydrate and salt formation with the help of which drug molecules with good physico-chemical behavior can be prepared. This article covers the concept of supramolecular chemistry and crystal engineering approach for the preparation of co-crystals and their application in pharmaceutical industries