RESUMO
The aim of the study was to improve the solubility and dissolution rate of the poorly water soluble drug albendazole via surfactant assisted media milling process. Preparation of a nanosuspension and then post-processing with a solidification technique applied to improve the applicability of nanosuspension in a solid dosage forms carrier. The dry nanosuspension was obtained using microcrystalline cellulose as solid carrier after tray drying at 40⯰C. Both reconstitution from the solid carrier and dissolution profile studies were investigated in biorelevant Artificial Rumen Fluid (ARF) at pHâ¯=â¯6.50 and dissolution media at pHâ¯=â¯1.20 and pHâ¯=â¯6.80. Reconstitution studies have demonstrated that the mean hydrodynamic diameter values of albendazole crystals released from the dry suspension were nanosized (intensity weighted hydrodynamic diameter values: 200.40⯱â¯2.318â¯nm in ARF at pHâ¯=â¯6.50, 197.17⯱â¯0.208â¯nm in dissolution medium at pHâ¯=â¯6.80). Thermodynamic solubility studies have indicated a 2.98 times increase in water solubility (144.41⯱â¯0.09⯵g/ml milled, 48.38⯱â¯0.01⯵g/ml unmilled, 8.21⯱â¯0.02⯵g/ml albendazole powder) in ARF at pHâ¯=â¯6.50, and 2.33 times in dissolution medium at pHâ¯=â¯6.8: (146.27⯱â¯0.28⯵g/ml milled, 62.71⯱â¯0.04⯵g/ml unmilled, 9.00⯱â¯0.01⯵g/ml albendazole powder), and 13.65% increase at pHâ¯=â¯1.20 (1728.31⯱â¯3.31⯵g/ml milled, 1559.41⯱â¯0.40⯵g/ml unmilled, 1520.70⯱â¯1.39⯵g/ml albendazole powder), dissolution rates have also increased. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) imaging investigations detected no albendazole nanocrystals on the surface of the carrier, which demonstrated the incorporation of albendazole into the microcrystalline cellulose solid carrier structure.