Dissolution study of nanocrystal powders of a poorly soluble drug by UV imaging and channel flow methods.

Application of drug nanocrystals provides advantageous options for the pharmaceutical formulation development of poorly soluble drugs. The objective of this study was to investigate the dissolution behavior improving effects of differently sized nanocrystals of a poorly soluble model drug, indomethacin. Nanocrystal suspensions were prepared using a top-down wet milling technique with three stabilizers: poloxamer F68, poloxamer F127 and polysorbate 80. The dissolution of the differently sized indomethacin nanocrystals were investigated using a channel flow dissolution method and by UV imaging. Unmilled bulk indomethacin and physical mixtures were used as references. According to both the dissolution methods, the dissolution properties of indomethacin were improved by the particle size reduction. UV imaging was used for the first time as a dissolution testing method for fast dissolving nanoscale material. The technique provided new information about the concentration of the dissolved drug next to the sample surface; with the smallest nanocrystals (580 nm) the indomethacin concentration next to the particle surface exceeded five-fold the thermodynamic saturated indomethacin solution concentration. Thus the solubility improvement itself, not only the increased surface area for dissolution, may have an important role in the higher dissolution rates of nanocrystal formulations. Poloxamer F68 was the most optimal stabilizer in the preparation of the indomethacin nanocrystal suspensions and in the solubility and dissolution enhancement as well.

Modification of concomitant drug release from oil vehicles using drug-prodrug combinations to achieve sustained balanced analgesia after joint installation.

Intra-articular injection of two drugs in a sustained drug delivery system combining the use of lipophilic solution with the prodrug approach may provide efficient and prolonged postoperative pain treatment after arthroscopic procedures. In the present study, the concomitant release of N,N-diethyl glycolamide ester of naproxen and ropivacaine from an oil vehicle consisting of medium-chain triglycerides were investigated in vitro. The release into both phosphate buffer and 80% (v/v) synovial fluid at pH 7.4 was examined in two dialysis membrane-based release models. The ester prodrug exhibited high solubility in medium-chain triglyceride, a high partition coefficient and was rapidly converted to naproxen in synovial fluid. Compared to naproxen, the release of the prodrug from the oil was sustained. In synovial fluid, the reconversion to naproxen resulted in faster release compared to that observed using buffer. In both release models, the use of ropivacaine-prodrug combination provided concomitant release from the oil into synovial fluid with ropivacaine being released faster than naproxen. The use of lipophilic prodrugs that are converted fast to the parent drug in synovial fluid seems to be a feasible approach to obtain prolonged joint residence time.