Abstract
Complex formations of practically insoluble antelmintic drugs such as mebendazole (MBZ), albendazole (ABZ) and flubendazole (FBZ) with dimethyl-$\beta$-cyclodextrin (DM-$\beta$-CyD) and 2-hydroxypropyl-$\beta$-cyclodextrin (HP-$\beta$-CyD) together with $\alpha$-, $\beta$- and $\gamma$-cyclodextrins(CyDs) in duffered solutions were investigated by solubility method. $A_{L}$ type phase solubility diagrams were obtained in all cases except for the complexation (B$_{s}$, type) of FBZ with $\gamma$-CyD. The highest stability constants were obtained with DM-$\beta$-CyD, followed by $\alpha$-CyD > $\beta$-CyD > HP-$\beta$-CyD > $\gamma$-CyD for ABZ, and HP-$\beta$-CyD > $\gamma$-CyD > $\beta$-CyD > $\alpha$-CyD for FBZ at pH 1.2. On the other hand, solid dispersion systems of ABZ and FBZ with $\beta$- and DM-$\beta$-CyDs were prepared by solvent evaporation method and evaluated by dissolution, differential thermal analysis and powder x-ray diffractometry. The dissolution rates of ABZ- and FBZ-DM-$\beta$-CyD solid dispersions were much faster than those of drugs alone, corresponding physical mixtures and tablets on market both at pH 1.2 and 6.8. Although dissolution rates of all samples at pH 6.8 were by far lower than those obtained at pH 1.2, as explained by pH-solubility profiles for ABZ and FBZ, the dissolution rates at pH 6.8 of ABZ from $\beta$- and DM-$\beta$-CyD solid dispersions exceeded the respective equilibrium solubility (23.9 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml). Fast dissolution of ABZ from solid dispersions with CyDs was attributed to the reduction of drug crystallinity and particle size which was supported by DTA and powder x-ray diffractometry. Consequently these results suggest that solid dispersion systems with CyDs may provide useful means to markedly enhance the solubility and dissolution of benzimidazole antelmintic drugs.
