A freeze-dried injectable form of ibuprofen: development and optimisation using response surface methodology

Area of Science:

• Pharmaceutical Sciences
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Physical Chemistry

Background:

• Ibuprofen is a widely used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).
• Poor aqueous solubility of Ibuprofen limits its parenteral administration.
• Cyclodextrins, like beta-hydroxypropylcyclodextrin, are known to enhance drug solubility and bioavailability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare and characterize a novel complex of Ibuprofen and beta-hydroxypropylcyclodextrin.
• To optimize the preparation parameters for the Ibuprofen-beta-hydroxypropylcyclodextrin complex using response surface methodology.
• To evaluate the solubility of the prepared complex for potential injectable applications.

Main Methods:

• Complexation of Ibuprofen with beta-hydroxypropylcyclodextrin.
• Preparation of the complex using a freeze-drying technique.
• Optimization of production parameters utilizing response surface methodology (RSM).

Main Results:

• The freeze-drying method successfully produced a stable Ibuprofen-beta-hydroxypropylcyclodextrin complex.
• Response surface methodology effectively optimized the production parameters.
• The resulting freeze-dried complex exhibited significantly enhanced aqueous solubility compared to pure Ibuprofen.
• The solubility profile meets the criteria for a potential injectable formulation.

Conclusions:

• The freeze-dried Ibuprofen-beta-hydroxypropylcyclodextrin complex offers improved solubility for parenteral administration.
• Response surface methodology is a valuable tool for optimizing complex preparation.
• This formulation presents a promising approach for developing injectable Ibuprofen products.