From Oral to Sublingual: A Redefined Avanafil Tablet with a Breakthrough in Bioavailability and First-Pass Metabolism
Turky Omar Asar1, Omar D Al-Hejaili2, Hossam S El-Sawy3,4
1Department of Biology, College of Science and Arts at Alkamil, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Avanafil (AVA) sublingual tablets, enhanced with hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD), significantly improve bioavailability and extend action for erectile dysfunction treatment. This novel formulation bypasses first-pass metabolism, offering greater plasma exposure and potential clinical benefits.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Drug Delivery Systems
- Pharmacokinetics
Background:
- Avanafil (AVA) is an effective phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor for erectile dysfunction (ED).
- Oral AVA exhibits limited bioavailability and significant first-pass metabolism, necessitating improved delivery strategies.
- Enhancing solubility and exploring alternative routes can improve AVA's efficacy and duration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and optimize sublingual Avanafil (AVA) tablets using hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) for enhanced bioavailability.
- To evaluate the pharmacokinetic profile of the optimized AVA sublingual formulation in human volunteers.
- To compare the performance of the sublingual AVA tablets against the commercial oral formulation.
Main Methods:
- Formulation of eight complex Avanafil (AVA) mixtures with polyethylene glycols and hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD).
- Design and optimization of AVA sublingual tablets utilizing the Quality-by-Design (QbD) approach.
- Assessment of pre-compression and post-compression tablet properties, followed by in-vivo pharmacokinetic evaluation.
Main Results:
- An optimal HP-β-CD-AVA inclusion complex (1:1 molar ratio) demonstrated superior solubilization capacity.
- Key formulation parameters, including superdisintegrants, Plasdone XL, and starch, significantly impacted drug release, disintegration time, and tablet hardness.
- The optimized AVA sublingual tablet showed a 5.98-fold increase in mean residence time, enhanced plasma exposure over 72 hours, and 1356.42% relative bioavailability compared to oral AVA.
Conclusions:
- Sublingual delivery of HP-β-CD-AVA inclusion complexes offers a promising strategy to enhance Avanafil bioavailability and circumvent first-pass metabolism.
- The improved pharmacokinetic profile and extended activity of AVA sublingual tablets present potential clinical advantages for ED patients.
- This formulation facilitates easier administration and may lead to reduced side effects compared to conventional oral treatments.
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