Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 3 complete abstracts (539 words), 9 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Colloids with liquid continuous phase and solid dispersed phase; the term is used loosely also for solid-in-gas (aerosols) and other colloidal systems; water-insoluble drugs may be given as suspensions.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Suspension.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Colloids
Related concepts
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 8,957 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Suspensions” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 1,214 of them (13.6%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 3,915 records.
Reviews account for 299 records (3.3%) and meta-analyses for 8. Randomized controlled trials number 402 (4.5%) as a share of all records on the topic.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 3,915 |
| 2000-2009 | 1,273 |
| 2010-2019 | 2,555 |
| 2020 onward | 1,214 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 299 | 3.3% |
| Meta-analyses | 8 | 0.1% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 402 | 4.5% |
Method: PubMed query "Suspensions"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in drugs and chemicals
Studies of a chemical or drug can answer very different questions: what it is and how it behaves in cells and animals, how the body handles it, and whether it changes outcomes in people. Laboratory and animal findings often do not carry over to patients, and observational studies of exposures are confounded by who uses a substance and why. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to use, avoid, start or stop any substance or medicine; talk to a qualified clinician or pharmacist about your own situation. Check the dose, the species, the comparison group and whether a patient-relevant outcome was measured.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washed microbiota transplantation vs. manual fecal microbiota transplantation: clinical findings, animal studies and in vitro screening | 2020 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 223 | cc by PMID 31919742 · DOI · PMC7093410 |
| Nanocrystals and nanosuspensions: an exploration from classic formulations to advanced drug delivery systems | 2024 | Review article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 41 | cc by PMID 38451440 · DOI · PMC11499347 |
| Pharmacokinetic and Metabolomic Studies with BIO 300, a Nanosuspension of Genistein, in a Nonhuman Primate Model | 2019 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 28 | cc by PMID 30870965 · DOI · PMC6429499 |
Washed microbiota transplantation vs. manual fecal microbiota transplantation: clinical findings, animal studies and in vitro screening [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) by manual preparation has been applied to treat diseases for thousands of years.
- Closing excerpt
- In conclusion, this study for the first time provides evidence linking clinical findings and animal experiments to support that washed microbiota transplantation (WMT) is safer, more precise and more quality-controllable than the crude FMT by manual.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (247 words)
Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) by manual preparation has been applied to treat diseases for thousands of years. However, this method still endures safety risks and challenges the psychological endurance and acceptance of doctors, patients and donors. Population evidence showed the washed microbiota preparation with microfiltration based on an automatic purification system followed by repeated centrifugation plus suspension for three times significantly reduced FMT-related adverse events. This washing preparation makes delivering a precise dose of the enriched microbiota feasible, instead of using the weight of stool. Intraperitoneal injection in mice with the fecal microbiota supernatant obtained after repeated centrifugation plus suspension for three times induced less toxic reaction than that by the first centrifugation following the microfiltration. The toxic reactions that include death, the change in the level of peripheral white blood cells, and the proliferation of germinal center in secondary lymphoid follicles in spleen were noted. The metagenomic next-generation sequencing (NGS) indicated the increasing types and amount of viruses could be washed out during the washing process. Metabolomics analysis indicated metabolites with pro-inflammatory effects in the fecal microbiota supernatant such as leukotriene B4, corticosterone, and prostaglandin G2 could be removed by repeated washing. Near-infrared absorption spectroscopy could be served as a rapid detection method to control the quality of the washing-process. In conclusion, this study for the first time provides evidence linking clinical findings and animal experiments to support that washed microbiota transplantation (WMT) is safer, more precise and more quality-controllable than the crude FMT by manual.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 31919742 · DOI · PMC7093410
Nanocrystals and nanosuspensions: an exploration from classic formulations to advanced drug delivery systems [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Nanocrystals and nanosuspensions have become realistic approaches to overcome the formulation challenges of poorly water-soluble drugs.
- Closing excerpt
- The translational aspects, historical and current clinical perspectives are also critically reviewed here to shed light on the incoming generation of nanocrystal formulations.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (95 words)
Nanocrystals and nanosuspensions have become realistic approaches to overcome the formulation challenges of poorly water-soluble drugs. They also represent a less-known but versatile platform for multiple therapeutic applications. They can be integrated into a broad spectrum of drug delivery systems including tablets, hydrogels, microneedles, microparticles, or even functionalized liposomes. The recent progresses, challenges, and opportunities in this field are gathered originally together with an informative case study concerning an itraconazole nanosuspension-in-hydrogel formulation. The translational aspects, historical and current clinical perspectives are also critically reviewed here to shed light on the incoming generation of nanocrystal formulations.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 38451440 · DOI · PMC11499347
Pharmacokinetic and Metabolomic Studies with BIO 300, a Nanosuspension of Genistein, in a Nonhuman Primate Model [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Genistein is a naturally occurring phytoestrogen isoflavone and is the active drug ingredient in BIO 300, a radiation countermeasure under advanced development for acute radiation syndrome (H-ARS) and for the delayed effects of acute radiation exposure (DEARE).
- Closing excerpt
- This initial assessment also highlights the utility of metabolomics and lipidomics to determine the underlying physiological mechanisms involved in the radioprotective efficacy of BIO 300.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (197 words)
Genistein is a naturally occurring phytoestrogen isoflavone and is the active drug ingredient in BIO 300, a radiation countermeasure under advanced development for acute radiation syndrome (H-ARS) and for the delayed effects of acute radiation exposure (DEARE). Here we have assessed the pharmacokinetics (PK) and safety of BIO 300 in the nonhuman primate (NHP). In addition, we analyzed serum samples from animals receiving a single dose of BIO 300 for global metabolomic changes using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (QTOF-MS). We present a comparison of how either intramuscularly (im) or orally (po) administered BIO 300 changed the metabolomic profile. We observed transient alterations in phenylalanine, tyrosine, glycerophosphocholine, and glycerophosphoserine which reverted back to near-normal levels 7 days after drug administration. We found a significant overlap in the metabolite profile changes induced by each route of administration; with the po route showing fewer metabolic alterations. Taken together, our results suggest that the administration of BIO 300 results in metabolic shifts that could provide an overall advantage to combat radiation injury. This initial assessment also highlights the utility of metabolomics and lipidomics to determine the underlying physiological mechanisms involved in the radioprotective efficacy of BIO 300.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 30870965 · DOI · PMC6429499
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article Nanosuspensions in drug delivery [4]
- Research article Nanosuspensions as particulate drug formulations in therapy. Rationale for development and what we can expect for the future [5]
- Research article Nanosuspensions: a promising drug delivery strategy [6]
- Research article Stability of nanosuspensions in drug delivery [7]
- Research article Pediatric Oral Formulations: An Updated Review of Commercially Available Pediatric Oral Formulations Since 2007 [8]
- Research article Electrospray-differential mobility analysis of bionanoparticles [9]
References
- Zhang T, Lu G, Zhao Z, Liu Y, Shen Q, Li P, et al.. Washed microbiota transplantation vs. manual fecal microbiota transplantation: clinical findings, animal studies and in vitro screening. . 2020. PMID 31919742 · DOI · PMC7093410
- Rossier B, Jordan O, Allémann E, Rodríguez-Nogales C. Nanocrystals and nanosuspensions: an exploration from classic formulations to advanced drug delivery systems. . 2024. PMID 38451440 · DOI · PMC11499347
- Cheema AK, Mehta KY, Santiago PT, Fatanmi OO, Kaytor MD, Singh VK. Pharmacokinetic and Metabolomic Studies with BIO 300, a Nanosuspension of Genistein, in a Nonhuman Primate Model. . 2019. PMID 30870965 · DOI · PMC6429499
- Rabinow BE. Nanosuspensions in drug delivery. Nat Rev Drug Discov. 2004. PMID 15340388 · DOI
- Müller RH, Jacobs C, Kayser O. Nanosuspensions as particulate drug formulations in therapy. Rationale for development and what we can expect for the future. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2001. PMID 11251242 · DOI
- Patravale VB, Date AA, Kulkarni RM. Nanosuspensions: a promising drug delivery strategy. J Pharm Pharmacol. 2004. PMID 15233860 · DOI
- Wang Y, Zheng Y, Zhang L, Wang Q, Zhang D. Stability of nanosuspensions in drug delivery. J Control Release. 2013. PMID 23954372 · DOI
- Strickley RG. Pediatric Oral Formulations: An Updated Review of Commercially Available Pediatric Oral Formulations Since 2007. J Pharm Sci. 2019. PMID 30447227 · DOI
- Guha S, Li M, Tarlov MJ, Zachariah MR. Electrospray-differential mobility analysis of bionanoparticles. Trends Biotechnol. 2012. PMID 22480574 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-10-31; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-10-31.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.