Development, Characterization, and Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Andrographolide Nanosuspensions Utilizing Hummer...

Andrographolide (AG) is a diterpenoid lactone, widely recognized for its potent anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. However, AG's clinical applications are significantly limited due to its poor water solubility. The aim of this study was to rapidly develop an andrographolide nanosuspension (AG-NS) using Hummer Acoustic Resonance (HAR) technology to enhance AG's solubility. AG-NS was prepared using HAR technology for high-throughput screening of stabilizers. Quality risk assessment was performed to identify critical formulation and process variables influencing AG-NS. A Box-Behnken design (BBD) was applied to evaluate the effects of these critical variables on AG-NS. Following lyophilization, the redispersibility of AG-NS was evaluated, and physicochemical characterization was conducted to verify the absence of significant interactions between AG and the excipients. The optimized AG-NS formulation exhibited a Z-Ave of 183.96 ± 4.40 nm, a PDI of 0.151 ± 0.065, and a zeta potential of -42.85 ± 1.09 mV. MD simulations revealed the internal mechanisms of AG-NS stabilization. Lyophilized AG-NS demonstrated excellent redisperseability. In vitro dissolution studies showed that the lyophilized AG-NS had a significantly faster dissolution rate and higher cumulative dissolution (120 min) compared to AG crude powder and the physical mixture (PM). The optimized AG-NS demonstrated favorable physicochemical properties and enhanced dissolution performance. The lyophilized formulation exhibited excellent redispersibility upon reconstitution. HAR technology is an innovative and efficient approach for the rapid development and optimization of nanosuspension formulations.