The dissolution and complexing properties of ibuprofen and ketoprofen when mixed with N-methylglucamine

The objectives of this study were to improve the aqueous dissolution properties of the poorly soluble nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ibuprofen and ketoprofen and to explore the use of N-methylglucamine (meglumine) to enhance the dissolution properties of poorly water-soluble drug powders. Changes in both differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) results indicate that possibly complexes were produced between ibuprofen and N-methylglucamine. Similar changes were not observed for equivalent ketoprofen and N-methylglucamine mixtures. The results of solubility and dissolution studies in water at 25 degrees C and 37 degrees C showed that N-methylglucamine, in mixtures and coprecipitates, increased the solubility, intrinsic dissolution, and powder dissolution of ketoprofen and ibuprofen. N-Methylglucamine significantly improved the solubility and dissolution properties of both ibuprofen and ketoprofen even when DSC and XRD behavior did not indicate the formation of complexes.