Purpose: To enhance the dissolution of albendazole (ABZ) using spray-drying technique.
Method: ABZ binary mixtures with Kollicoat IR® (KL) and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) in various drug to polymer ratios (1: 1, 1: 2 and 1; 4) were prepared by spray-drying. The spray-dried particles were characterized for particle shape, and dissolution rate as well as by differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR).
Results: Scanning electron micrographs showed a homogeneous distribution of ABZ in the polymer matrix for ABZ-PVP spray-dried system in ratios of 1: 2 and 1: 4, while it was observed only upon using a ratio of ABZ: KL 1: 4 in case of ABZ-KL systems. FT-IR spectra of both physical mixtures and spraydried mixtures did not show any change for all ABZ-polymer systems, thus indicating the compatibility of the carriers with ABZ. ABZ exhibited a noticeable enhanced dissolution rate from its spray-dried coacervate with PVP and this was independent of the drug/polymer ratio. Drug release was 78, 81 and 81 % from the spray-dried ABZ-PVP systems of drug: polymer ratio of 1:1, 1:2 and 1: 4, respectively, within 5 min. Drug showed complete dissolution within 15 min. On the other hand, enhancement of dissolution rate varied with ABZ: Kl ratio.
Conclusion: Enhancement of ABZ dissolution for both types of spray-dried particles is due to the reduction in drug particle sizes, wetting of the dissolution medium by the hydrophilic carriers and the amorphosization of the drug crystals by the carriers.