Biopharmaceutical and Preclinical Studies of Zaleplon as Semisolid Dispersions with Self-emulsifying Lipid Surfactants for Oral Delivery

Abstract

The objective of this present study is to develop a semisolid dispersion (SSD) of zaleplon with the aid of self-emulsifying lipid based amphiphilic carriers (TPGS E or Gelucire 44/14) addressing the poor solubility of this drug. A linear relationship between the solubility of drug with respect to increase in the concentration of lipid surfactant in aqueous medium resulting in AL type phase diagram was observed from phase solubility studies. Fusion method was employed to obtain semisolid dispersions (SSD) of zaleplon which showed high content uniformity of drug. The absence of chemical interactions between the pure drug, excipients and formulations were conferred by Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopic examinations. The photographic images from polarized optical microscopic studies revealed the change in crystalline form of drug to amorphous or molecular state. The superior dissolution parameters of zaleplon from SSD over pure crystalline drug interpreted from in vitro dissolution studies envisage the ability of these lipid surfactants as solubility enhancers. Further, the caliber of TPGS E or Gelucire 44/14 in encouraging the GI absorption of drug was evident with the higher human effective permeability coefficient and fraction oral dose of drug absorbed from SSD in situ intestinal permeation study. In conclusion, in vivo studies in Wister rats demonstrated an improvement in the oral bioavailability of zaleplon from SSD over control pure drug suspension suggesting the competence of Gelucire 44/14 and TPGS E as conscientious carriers to augment the dissolution rate limited bioavailability of this active