AmbiOnp: solid lipid nanoparticles of amphotericin B for oral administration

Amphotericin B is the most effective gold standard drug against various fungal infections, especially in second line treatment of leishmaniasis. However, its usefulness is limited due to severe nephrotoxicity, which may lead to kidney failure. Due to its poor oral bioavailability, it is often administered parenterally to patients suffering from systemic fungal infection or visceral leishmaniasis (kala azar). In this investigation, solid lipid nanoparticles were formulated for oral administration of Amphotericin B. For this purpose, novel microemulsion based nanoprecipitation technique was employed. The influence of process variables such as sonication and dialysis time was studied. The optimized formulation was characterized for parameters such as particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, drug content and entrapment efficiency. The pH stability of the developed Amphotericin B solid lipid nanoparticles (AmbiOnp) at pH 1.2, 4, 6.8 values demonstrated enhanced protection of entrapped Amphotericin B. Further, single dose acute toxicity study established the safety of AmbiOnp for oral administration. In vivo pharmacokinetic studies revealed increase in % relative bioavailability of AmbiOnp in comparison to the plain drug. Additionally, the t1/2 of encapsulated Amphotericin B was significantly greater than that of plain drug, indicating the controlled release of Amphotericin B from AmbiOnp. Overall, the developed formulation; AmbiOnp was found to be successful in oral delivery of Amphotericin B.