Abstract

FORMULATION & EVALUATION OF GRAFT CO-POLYMER BASES OF LORNOXICAM FOR THE ENHANCEMENT OF SOLUBILITY & DISSOLUTION RATE

Chaudhari Kaweri K.* and Gharmalkar Samruddhi K.

ABSTRACT

Lornoxicam is a new generational Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID), and is considered a better alternative to the other popular NSAIDS, as it overcomes some of the adverse gastrointestinal and cardiac side effects associated with the latter. However, the bioavailability of the drug remains limited due to low aqueous solubility (0.02231μg/mL) and poor dissolution characteristics. Hence, improving its dissolution characteristics is of prime significance in order to establish its optimal therapeutic efficacy. In an effort to tackle this issue, we report the use of novel Soluplus®-based nanocomposites, prepared from emulsion templates, as effective drug loading agent for Lornoxicam. Nanoemulsion templates were prepared by high-shear homogenization using a probe sonicator. The emulsions were subsequently lyophilized to obtain free flowing powders. The drug-polymer interaction was explored by FTIR spectroscopy. The phase purity and homogeneity of the formulation was characterized using Differential Scanning Calorimetry. The dissolution profiles of the formulations were established by an USP paddle apparatus. Phase solubility study was conducted to evaluate the effect of polymer concentration on aqueous solubility of Lornoxicam. The values of Gibbs-free energy (ΔG˚tr) associated with the aqueous solubility of Lornoxicam in the presence of Soluplus was used to optimize the polymer content. The in vitro dissolution rates of Lornoxicam from the nanoparticles were significantly higher compared to the pure drug. Thus, Soluplus nanoparticles provide promising formulations for the improvement of the dissolution profiles and thus, the bioavailability, of Lornoxicam.

Keywords: Lornoxicam, Polymer Nanocomposite,dissolution, FTIR spectroscopy, DSC, In Vitro dissolution rate.