Enhanced dissolution rates of piroxicam from the ground mixtures with chitin or chitosan

To increase the dissolution rate of piroxicam, chitin and chitosan which are widely occurring biodegradable natural materials were used as drug carriers. The ground mixtures of piroxicam with chitin or chitosan were prepared by grinding in a ball mill. The dissolution rates of piroxicam from the ground mixtures were enhanced markedly than that from the physical mixtures or from intact piroxicam. The X-ray diffraction peaks disappeared in the ground mixture indicating the production of the amorphous form. The comparison of infrared spectra of the physical mixture and the ground minture showed an interaction such as association between the functional groups of piroxicam and chitin or chitosan in the molecular level. The weight losses in TGA curves shoed all the same patterns. However, in the ground mixture by DTA curve, the undothermic peak due to the fusion of piroxicam was disappeared indicating the different thermal property.