Preparation and characterization of progesterone dispersions using supercritical carbon dioxide

Supercritical fluid methods offer an alternative to conventional mixing methods, particularly for heat sensitive drugs and where an organic solvent is undesirable.

To design, develop and construct a unit for the particles from a gas-saturated suspension/solution (PGSS) method and form endogenous progesterone (PGN) dispersion systems using SC-CO2.

The PGN dispersions were manufactured using three selected excipients: polyethylene glycol (PEG) 400/4000 (50:50), Gelucire 44/14 and D-α-tocopheryl PEG 1000 succinate (TPGS). Semisolid dispersions of PGN prepared by PGSS method were compared to the conventional methods; comelting (CM), cosolvent (CS) and physical mixing (PM). The dispersion systems made were characterized by Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopies, X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), PGN recovery, uniformity and in vitro dissolution, analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Raman spectra revealed no changes in the crystalline structure of PGN treated with SC-CO2 compared to that of untreated PGN. XRPD and FTIR showed the presence of peaks and bands for PGN confirming that PGN has been incorporated well with each individual excipient. All PGN dispersions prepared by the PGSS method resulted in the improvement of PGN dissolution rates compared to that prepared by the conventional methods and untreated PGN after 60 min (p value < 0.05).

The novel PGN dispersions prepared by the PGSS method offer the great potential to enhance PGN dissolution rate, reduce preparation time and form stable crystalline dispersion systems over those prepared by conventional methods.