Formulation and <i>in vitro</i> Evaluation of Liquisolid Compact of Celecoxib

Abstract

<i>Introduction</i>: The liquisolid technique presents a promising avenue for enhancing the dissolution rate and bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs like celecoxib. This study investigated the formulation and evaluation of celecoxib tablets using this technique. <i>Aim</i>: To formulate and evaluate celecoxib tablets using the liquisolid technique, with the objective of enhancing its dissolution rate and bioavailability. <i>Methods</i>: Celecoxib tablets were prepared using the liquid-solid technique by incorporating a non-volatile liquid medication carrier and a suitable solid carrier. Various formulations were developed by altering the ratios of drug, carrier, and coating materials. The prepared tablets were characterized for their physical properties, drug content uniformity, <i>in vitro</i> dissolution behavior, and compatibility using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. <i>Results</i>: The solubility profile showed that the maximum rate of solubility was recorded in PEG-400 (11.03 ± 0.01) when compared to other non-volatile solvents. The angle of slide, indicated that the excipients used were within the acceptable limit of 33°. The FTIR spectroscopy showed compatibility of the drug and excipients. The results of the SEM showed that spherically-shaped vesicles were formed. Evaluation of the pre-compression parameters indicated that the drug content was highest in batch F-11 hence its optimization (96.1 ± 0.90). The post compression evaluation indicated that the official tests were within the acceptable range for disintegration time (2.25 ± 0.35). The results of the <i>in vitro</i> release studies of the optimized formulation, conventional tablet and reference commercial tablet showed that the amount of drug released increased steadily with time over the 1-hour period. <i>Conclusion</i>: Our findings underscore its viability as a strategy to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of poorly water-soluble drugs, offering promising prospects for pharmaceutical formulation.