ENHANCEMENT OF ORAL BIOAVAILABILITY AND DISSOLUTION RATE OF ACECLOFENAC USING SOLID DISPERSIONS BY DROPPING METHOD

In the present study, the aim was to enhance the oral bioavailability and dissolution rate of aceclofenac by solid dispersions using polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) as a carrier and to study the effect of carrier on dissolution rate. Initial studies were carried out using physical mixtures of the drug and carrier. Solid dispersions were prepared by fusion technique using dropping method. Aceclofenac was formulated as physical mixtures and solid dispersions (dropping method) using 1:2, 1:4, 1:6 and 1:8 ratios of drug and carrier (PEG 6000). Saturation solubility study for pure drug, physical mixtures and solid dispersions were carried out in water and pH 6.8 phosphate buffer solutions (PBS). The In vitro dissolution studies were carried in pH 6.8, higher in vitro dissolution of solid dispersions was recorded compared to their corresponding physical mixtures and the pure drug. The prepared solid dispersions were observed that increased in the saturation solubility and dissolution rate of aceclofenac than that of pure drug. PEG 6000 in 1: 8 drug to carrier ratio exhibited the highest drug release (98.69%) formulated as solid dispersions using dropping method. The FT-IR study shows that drug was stable in solid dispersions and there were no interactions. It is concluded that dissolution rate was improved by solid dispersion of aceclofenac: PEG6000 prepared as 1:8 ratio by dropping method showed excellent physicochemical characteristics and was found to be described by dissolution release kinetics and was selected as the best formulation.