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Development and evaluation of thymol/PVP solid dispersion: comparative physicochemical properties and bronchodilation
Bader Alsulays1, Fahad S Almutib1, Najeeb U Rehman2
1Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, AlKharj 11942, Saudi Arabia.
Biomedical Physics & Engineering Express
|June 25, 2026
Summary
This study enhanced thymol
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Natural Products Chemistry
Background:
- Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease involving airway inflammation.
- Thymol, a natural monoterpene, possesses bronchodilatory properties.
- Improving thymol's physicochemical properties can enhance its therapeutic potential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To formulate a thymol-polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) solid dispersion.
- To evaluate the physicochemical properties and dissolution of the thymol-PVP formulation.
- To assess the bronchodilatory efficacy of the enhanced thymol formulation.
Main Methods:
- Preparation of a thymol-PVP solid dispersion.
- Characterization using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Powder X-ray Diffraction (PXRD).
- In vitro dissolution studies and in vivo tracheal relaxation assays.
Main Results:
- The thymol-PVP solid dispersion successfully transformed crystalline thymol into an amorphous form.
- Enhanced dissolution rate of thymol from the formulation compared to pure thymol.
- The formulation demonstrated significantly greater tracheal relaxation than thymol alone.
Conclusions:
- Formulating thymol with PVP improves its physicochemical properties, particularly dissolution.
- The enhanced thymol formulation shows promising therapeutic potential for respiratory disorders like asthma.
- This approach offers a viable strategy for developing improved natural product-based asthma therapies.
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