Solubilization of Artemisinin in Solutions of Cationic Surfactants

The influence of micellar systems based on cationic surfactants-gadolinium(III) and copper(II) complexes with alkylated 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, 1-hexadecyl-4-aza-1-azoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane bromide (ligand) and the conventional surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide - on the solubility of the antimalarial drug artemisinin in water was studied by spectrophotometric method. A quantitative assessment of the solubilizing ability of surfactant aggregates was carried out. The value of the solubilization capacity of the systems was determined. The ligand has the greatest influence on the solubility of artemisinin, and, consequently, its bioavailability. The concentration of the drug increases up to 36 times in the presence of a relatively low surfactant content in the aqueous solution. The period of chemical stability of artemisinin in cationic surfactants solutions was determined. Aggregates formed in surfactant-artemisinin systems were characterized by dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering.