Development of Piroxicam Microcrystals with an  Enhanced Dissolution Rate

Belmahdi, Lila; Oukacha, D; Makhloufi, M

Algerian Journal of Pharmaceutical Engineering
Volume 0, Numéro 0, Pages 20-23
2023-03-30

Development Of Piroxicam Microcrystals With An Enhanced Dissolution Rate

Authors : Belmahdi Lila . Oukacha D . Makhloufi M .

Abstract

Piroxicam (PRX) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug belonging to BCS class II with limited aqueous solubility. Different methods have been developed to enhance the solubility and the dissolution rate of piroxicam, including solid dispersion, complexation, self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDs), and microcrystals. This study aims to develop piroxicam microcrystals (PMCs) using a simple solvent displacement method to improve its dissolution rate. The produced microcrystals were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). An in vitro dissolution study was carried out in a hydrochloric acid medium using the paddle method. The results showed that particles with a mean size diameter of 1,618 µm and a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0,127 were obtained. The XRD revealed a reduction in the crystallite size of PMCs compared to the pure drug while the FT-IR spectroscopy indicated that no change in the chemical structure of piroxicam occurred. The in vitro release study showed a significant increase in the dissolution rate of piroxicam microcrystals as compared to the raw drug. Thus, this study demonstrates that the developed PMCs can be applied as an effective solution to improve the dissolution rate of piroxicam. The elaborate method is simple, fast, and cost-effective.