Design, formulation and characterization of ibuprofen-polyethylene glycol (6000) solid dispersions
Abiodun O. Shittu. , Rasheedat W. Oyeyiola, Ngaitad S. Njinga, Afeez B. Afosi .
1Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ilorin.
2Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ilorin
Corresponding author: Abiodun O. Shittu
Email: neobiogate@yahoo.com; Phone +2348034388786
ABSTRACT
Background: Formulation of solid dispersion has attracted considerable interest where dispersing a poorly
water soluble drug in a water soluble polymer matrix improves the dissolution characteristics and
bioavailability of the drug.
Aim: The aim of this study was to enhance the dissolution rate and bioavailability of Ibuprofen (BCS class II)
using solid dispersion techniques.
Method: Ibuprofen solid dispersion was prepared by fusion method. Drug-carrier physical mixtures were also
prepared. Effects of polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG 6000) was studied for the solid dispersions and physical
mixtures. The solid dispersions were investigated for drug content, solubility and dissolution characteristics,
surface morphology using optical microscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). All the solid
dispersions showed better solubility characteristics and dissolution rate than physical mixtures. Evaluation of
the FTIR results shows that the stretching vibration of ibuprofen carbonyl peak in SDs and physical mixture
remained which indicates that the drug crystalline form may not be altered during solid dispersion formation
and its attenuated intensities were thought to be due to the lower drug content as the amount of polymer was
increased.
Conclusion: The FT-IR and DTA results for SDs and physical mixtures showed no drug-polymer interaction The
statistical analysis, solubility and dissolution rate test result of ibuprofen was compared to that of the SD
formulations and the values obtained were significantly below 0.05 which indicates that the results are
statistically significant. Therefore, solid dispersion may be an effective technique to enhance dissolution rate of Ibuprofen.
Key words: Solid dispersion, Ibuprofen, solubility, bioavailability, PEG-6000, Fusion