Enhancement of ibuprofen dissolution via wet granulation with β-cyclodextrin

The purpose was to investigate the effect of wet granulation with beta -cyclodextrin (beta CD) on the enhancement of ibuprofen (IBU) dissolution. The effect of the granulation variables on the physical properties as well as the dissolution of tablets prepared from these granules was also examined. Granulation was performed using three granulating solvents: water, ethanol (95 vol%), and isopropanol. Granules were either oven-dried for 2 h or air-dried for 3 days. The granules or respective physical mixtures were compressed into tablets. Powder X-ray diffraction showed that oven-dried granulation resulted in less amorphous entities that facilitated IBU-beta CD complexation in solution and enhanced the dissolution of the corresponding tablets compared to the physical mixture with or without oven drying. In contrast, air-dried granulation did not cause any, differences in the X-ray diffraction pattern (crystallinity) or the dissolution compared to the physical mixture without drying. Isopropanol and water as granulating solvents, enhanced the dissolution of the oven-dried batches more than ethanol. The Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) data showed that tablets prepared from oven-dried granules, but not air-dried granules, had lower DeltaH values and percent loss in weight, respectively, than those prepared from the physical mixture as a result of the expulsion of the water molecules from the beta CD cavity and enhancement of the complexation in solution. These results showed that oven-dried granulation of IBU and beta CD provided faster IBU dissolution than the physical mixture; air-dried granulation did not substantially affect the dissolution of IBU.